The Irish Natura and Hill Farmers Association (INHFA) has criticised Department of Agriculture plans to push back payment dates for farm schemes, insisting that autumn’s payment schedule must stay.

It said that payments must be made in line with previous years, with areas of natural constraint (ANC) funds hitting accounts in September and basic payments in the third week of October.

Farm groups heard of the proposed changes to these timescales at a meeting on the farmers charter of rights last week.

It was proposed that ANC payments are moved to mid-October, with Basic Income Support for Sustainability (BISS) pushing back a week.

Implications

The INHFA’s national president Vincent Roddy warned of the cashflow implications of pushing back scheme dates, as well as the impact it could have on mart sales in autumn.

“How many farmers are falling across the line when it comes to cashflow at this time of year and to expect them to wait for another month is unacceptable,” Roddy said.

“For suckler and sheep farmers that are tied into a system where most of their income from sales doesn’t come until late autumn and into the winter months of November and December, the ANC payment in September is often their first substantial income in months and eagerly anticipated,” he said.

Roddy also cautioned that agri stores and farm contractors could be waiting longer for farmers to pay, if scheme payments are delayed.