Around 3,000 farmers are awaiting payment under the Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) at this late stage. The last payment run of 2015 at the weekend saw over 1,000 paid and brought the number paid up to 120,000, with over €1.074bn paid out, over €50m behind the same week last year. The majority of farmers not yet paid appear to be involved in partnerships or companies, plus farmers who have transferred entitlements under the new system. Many are under pressure from banks, creditors or both. While processing of these cases continues, there is no payment run over the next weekend, meaning it will be the first week in 2016 before they can now hope for payment.

Payments under ANC scheme have climbed to €194m to 91,000 farmers, with stocking criteria now holding back most still to be paid.

While the number of Young Farmers Scheme top-up increased over the weekend, the majority now look set to be paid in early January. This is also the case for National Reserve applications, where more than 50% remain unpaid.

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There has been a flurry of payments under the other schemes in recent weeks, including:

  • GLAS: 22,000 farmers got an initial payment of €15m or around €680 each, with the balancing 15% of payment also due out this week.
  • AEOS: Approximately €47m paid out to date to 13,392 participants.
  • REPS: Approximately €5m paid to 598 participants.
  • BDGP: €30.2m has been paid out under BDGP scheme to over 15,000 farmers.
  • Protein: €3m was paid under the Coupled Protein Scheme at €280/ha for over 10,000ha.
  • STAP: €3m went out to around 3,000 farmers under the 2015 Sheep Technology Adaption Programme (around €825 each).
  • Dairy: Flat-rate payment of €1,395 to diary farmers under the Dairy Aid Package. Young farmers will get the €800 in early January.