Hen harrier meeting

At an IFA meeting to discuss the hen Harrier Scheme with the Project Manager Fergal Monaghan last week, national hill committee chair Pat Dunne said the scheme must deliver for farmers affected by designation of their land and payments must recognise the input of farmers in these protected areas and the income losses they face because of restrictions.

New poultry chair

Andy Boylan from Monaghan was last week elected chair of the national poultry committee. The new chair said he is committed to working with the Department of Agriculture on current welfare issues and maintaining Ireland’s low disease status in the national poultry flock. Another key issue is the need for strong legislation to make the origin of chicken, meat and eggs more transparent to shoppers, he said.

Farm incomes

Reacting to the CSO estimate for farm income in 2017, IFA president Joe Healy said it points to mixed fortunes and very real income pressures in some sectors, particularly in drystock and tillage, where incomes are still unsustainably low. He said the importance of direct payments cannot be overstated and underlines how crucial an improved EU budget is in the context of CAP reform.

TAMS – deposit change

Rural development chair Joe Brady has welcomed changes to TAMS to allow farmers who have applied for TAMS, and who had put down a deposit before formal approval, to claim the deposit as a legitimate expense in claiming grant aid. Prior to this, farmers were penalised if they had paid a deposit for work or equipment before formal approval to proceed with work.