IFA hill committee chair Pat Dunne has said that in the review of the Areas of Natural Constraint (ANC), all areas currently classified as mountain sheep grazing areas must qualify for the highest rate of payment from the 2018 scheme.

Dunne said that 31,500 farmers currently benefit from the higher mountain payment.

For 24,000 farmers, their total area is classified as mountain grazing. These payments are worth approximately €85m out of the total allocation of €205m. The IFA hill committee chair said that with additional funds being allocated to the ANC in 2018, the payments in hill areas should be increased and front-loaded on the first 20ha.

The IFA hill committee has set a target of a maximum payment of up to €6,000 being payable to+ farmers on the first 40ha.

Dunne said it is important that the payment rates reflect the natural handicap, and the low income associated with farming this type of land. One of the main priorities of EU regulation on ANC is avoiding land abandonment.

The ANC scheme plays a key role in this regard as there is clear recognition of farming activity through a minimum stocking level and in the case of commonages through the commonage management plan.

The IFA hill committee is calling on the Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed to recognise the most disadvantaged areas in the upcoming review and to retain the existing mountain grazing areas so that they can qualify for the highest rate of payment.

The IFA is holding a series of meetings as part of its ANC campaign, including two meetings for farmers in Munster and south Leinster taking place on the following dates: