In figures released by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine to the Irish Farmers Journal, it has been revealed that there are currently 10,000 GLAS applicants who are not eligible for payment. With more than 50,000 farmers currently in GLAS, this means that 20% of farmers are ineligible for payment.

The main issue holding up the advance payment to 4,000 GLAS participants is that the commonage management plan (CMP) requirements have not been met by the participant’s commonage adviser.

The Department urges that “relevant applicants should contact their commonage adviser”.

Nutrient management plans (NMPs) are also an issue, according to the Department: “There are still some 2,800 outstanding NMPs in respect of GLAS I and II participants and applicants should contact their advisers directly to have these submitted.”

This leaves 3,200 who are ineligible due to the non-submission of a 2017 BPS application, rare breed forms that are outstanding and applicants who have yet to submit or have incorrectly submitted their annual low emission slurry spreading declaration form.

However, the information coming from advisers on the ground is different. They are also pointing towards issues with basic payment scheme (BPS) maps as one of the main reasons holding up payments.

“We understand that one of the main issues holding up payments is with BPS maps,” according to Laura Johnson from the Agricultural Consultants Association.

“We are getting letters back saying that boundaries in fields have moved where they have not, for example.”

Indeed, some of the letters that farmers have received point towards parcels “not being set up in BPS with a valid crop code for this action” as being the reason for being ineligible.

Last week marked the commencement of 2017 advance GLAS payments, with a total of €91m paid out. Additionally, €5m of AEOS payments was also made.

In a statement, the Department said it “will be continuing with weekly 2017 advance payment runs to eligible applicants and this week we expect to pay a further €20m to 5,500 applicants. A further pay run is planned for next week.”

Low emission slurry spreading (LESS)

Farmers who chose low emission slurry spreading as one of their GLAS options received a text on Monday 4 December from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, according to advisers.

The text read: “Your GLAS 2017 advance payment has not been paid as your LESS Form has not been received. Please complete and return ASAP.”

A total of 4,876 farmers have chosen LESS as one of their options across the three GLAS tranches.

A further text was sent out to farmers on Tuesday 5 December stating that some of the texts had in fact been issued in error. It read: “GLAS LESS text dated 4/12 issued to you in error, apologies.”

Issues have been reported on forms already returned, including the date of spreading entered on a monthly basis when it should be entered on a weekly basis.

Farmers must ensure that the volume is in m3 and not in litres or gallons. Finally, farmers must sign the form before it is returned. These issues are leading to delayed payments.

GLAS training

In a statement on GLAS training, the Department stated that it “will be commencing the payment of €158 for eligible farmers who have completed training by the end of this month. This money will be paid to the facilitator, who will distribute it to the course participants directly.”

However, facilitators will still not be paid for holding the courses until mid-January at the earliest, the Department stated.

“The payments to facilitators who provide GLAS training will depend on the submission of proof that their client farmers have received their payment. Subject to this being in order, the payments to GLAS facilitators will commence in mid-January.”