The potential annual payment for many farmers under the second tranche of GLAS has been effectively slashed by between €1,500 and €2,000, according to agricultural consultants. Reacting to the changes in the criteria for the scheme announced last week, many planners have said that farmers who could have reached the €5,000 maximum earlier in the year are only able to hit around €3,000 now under GLAS.

The halving in eligible area for Low Input Permanent Pasture (LIPP) from 10ha to 5ha is having the greatest impact, along with the suspension of planting new hedgerows.

“New entrants and farmers in partnerships are being particularly hit,” according to consultant Tom Cannon in Cavan. These farmers were excluded from the first tranche of GLAS and now find themselves at a real disadvantage. Farmers who stayed out to split parcels also find themselves facing much lower payments, he added.

Agricultural Consultants Association president Tom Dawson said they are making representations to the Department to try to reverse the recent changes.

“They have made it much more difficult for farmers to achieve a maximum payment under the scheme,” he added.

Fergal Monaghan of commonage.ie said the cuts will affect the number of commonage farmers who enter the scheme. “Most commonage farmers we deal with have just five to six hectares of commonage which gives them just €600 to €700 in payment. The majority need other measures and on marginal land many of the remaining options are not a runner,” he said. His concern is that if many do not enter it will be more expensive to complete the required commonage management plan, putting off the farmers who initially came on board. The date for completion of commonage framework plans has been extended beyond the latest deadline set at 31 October.

When he launched the scheme last week, Minister for Agriculture Simon Coveney said 10,000 additional places will be made available under this tranche. IFA president Eddie Downey has accused the Minister of attempting to water down GLAS by excluding many farmers from the second phase of the scheme, by taking out key measures and reducing the impact of others.