The ICMSA has called for a REAP 2 scheme to be opened and payments made in 2022 to support climate and other environmental measures on intensive farms in its pre-budget submission.

It has also called for increased funding for the dairy calf-to-beef scheme and for funding to be made available to farmers affected by rewetting schemes.

The farm organisation representing milk suppliers is looking for a zero rate of VAT on all low-emission slurry spreading (LESS) equipment and for a 60% TAMS grant on same.

It renewed its call for a rebate system to encourage the use of protected urea, increased incentives for solar panels on Irish farms and funding for new co-operatives to invest in anaerobic digesters.

It also called for Budget 2022 to provide for the introduction of a new stock relief measure, whereby farmers would be allowed 100% stock relief on additional expenditure of up to €100,000 and a loan repayment break should be introduced for farmers impacted by a TB outbreak.

Volatility

The ICMSA wants a farm income volatility tool in the Irish tax code to address the extreme volatility in farming based on a farm management deposit scheme and a Brexit reserve fund for exposed sectors.

On tax, it wants personal taxation bands to be increased to €700 and for the USC to be reduced in Budget 2022.

It wants the stamp duty rate to be reduced to 3% for agricultural land sales and for young trained farmer relief, which is due to expire on 31 December 2021, to be extended.

“Budget 2022 must provide for a significant reduction in the 33% rate of capital gains tax,” it said in the submission.

It wants the first €3,000 annually of an individual’s chargeable gain to be exempt from CGT.