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There was a broad welcome by the farm organisations to this week’s Budget 2017, which had several measures to boost family farm incomes.
The main headings were increased funding for big farm schemes such as GLAS; low interest loans and favourable changes under taxation and social protection.
Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed said his approach was aimed at having a sustained impact on farming incomes.
IFA president Joe Healy said the Budget was a positive response to his farm income campaign of the last six months. He particularly welcomed the low-cost loans scheme, increased funding for farm schemes, the reversal of cuts to Farm Assist and flexibility on income averaging.
He acknowledged the €107m extra funding for Rural Development schemes, in particular the €69m increase for GLAS, the €25m allocated for the new sheep welfare scheme and the €52m to re-open the beef genomics programme.
“The Government must build on these schemes to reach the €250m target for GLAS set out in the RDP and continue to improve suckler and sheep supports,” he said.
“However, the decision not to start the restoration of ANC funding in 2017 was disappointing, given the very difficult income situation this year.”
“The new flexibility under income averaging, to be introduced for the current year, will help farmers to manage the very difficult cashflow situation on farms this year.”
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