The €25m increase in funding for the Areas of Natural Constraint (ANC) scheme secured by IFA in the last budget means increased payment rates for farmers in 2018.

The proposed increases to the ANC rates will be included in the 2018 amendment to the Rural Development Programme to be submitted by the Department of Agriculture to the European Commission.

IFA rural development chair Joe Brady has said it is important that all farmers will benefit from the increase to ANC payment rates.

He reminded that the ANC review will begin this year and said: “The objective for the review must be to bring the allocation back to €250m.”

IFA hill committee chair Flor McCarthy welcomed that over half of the €25m allocation will go to farmers in hill areas, which are the most difficult land areas in the country. 95,000 farmers benefit from the ANC scheme.

The change to the ANC allocation will mean the maximum payment for hill areas will be €4,038; €3,120 in more severely handicapped areas; and, €2,647 in less severely handicapped areas.

The proposed rates for 2018 are outlined below.

Mountain grazing land

  • An extra €13m will benefit 32,000 farmers fully or partly .
  • Increase on the rate for the first 10ha from €109.72 to €135.
  • Increase on the rate for the next 24ha from €95.99 to €112.
  • Maximum payment: €4,038 (was €3,390).
  • More severely handicapped land

  • An extra €9m will benefit 59,000 farmers fully or partly.
  • Increase to rate for first 30ha from €95.99 to €104.
  • Maximum payment: €3,120 (was €2,879).
  • Less severely handicapped land

  • An extra €3m benefiting 23,500 farmers fully or partly.
  • Increase to rate for first 30ha from €82.27 to €88.25.
  • Maximum payment €2,647.50 (was €2,468).