A small group of Donegal farmers have found themselves on the wrong side of the Areas of Natural Constraints (ANC) review carried out in 2018.

ANC maps were redrawn based on new criteria, with 2,000 townlands entering the scheme and 700 losing out. An appeals process that concluded earlier this year saw a further 70 townlands added to the scheme.

Robin Crockett, a drystock farmer farming 44ha in Lifford, is one of those who remains fully excluded.

“I guess I’m unfortunate,” he told the Irish Farmers Journal. “I have land in two townlands and they were both taken out. There’s other people in the same townland that still qualify but I’ve missed out.”

Crockett had been receiving a payment of €3,200. It has been gradually cut over the last two years before it will be fully stopped next year.

“It’s not so much the money that bothers me. It’s the potential knock-on consequences.”

In schemes such as TAMS, there are additional points allocated in the ranking system for farmers in ANC. Crockett is concerned that the farm could miss out on a future REPS if ANC farmers get preferential access.

“I’m 65 now, so it’s not for me. It’s for my two sons. We’re trying to encourage young people into farming and this is hardly the way to do it?”

His comments were echoed by David Buchanan who farms 40ha in Burt in partnership with his son. Their farm has also been excluded and will lose around €3,000.

“It’s just crazy. We’re sitting in a valley here and our land is all out, but the farms on the other side are all still in ANC.

“It doesn’t matter so much to me but my young fella is only 24 and this is a terrible start for him.

“They only changed it to bring tillage farmers in two years ago and we’re out again. It beggars belief.”

Both farmers appealed the results of the review but were unsuccessful.

They have now taken their cases to the Office of the Ombudsman and are awaiting the findings.

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