Just over 3,000 young farmers were paid their first top-ups this week. Over €6m was paid out, giving an average of just over €1,900 each.

While these farmers were happy to receive the 25% top-up on the entitlements they submitted, it still leaves over 4,500 waiting for payment.

Some of these delays are due to paperwork not being returned.

ADVERTISEMENT

Around 1,700 of the 6,500 farmers who applied to the National Reserve also received around €6m in payments this week. For an additional 2,200 applicants, the Department is awaiting the Teagasc certification that the applicants have started their agricultural training in 2015.

Basic Payment Scheme

The number of farmers left to be paid has fallen to around 2,000.

The Department now says there are 119,185 farmers paid a total of €1.054bn.

The update on Areas of Natural Constraint (ANC) is that 89,618 have been paid a total of €191m. This would leave around 5,000 to be paid, many of whom have not yet achieved the required stocking rate.

Payments

I have received a number of calls from frustrated farmers waiting on their Basic Payment Scheme, National Reserve or Young Farmers Scheme top-up. This is added to by the inability to get definite timescales for payment or, as one farmer said, be promised it would be paid for three weeks running.

The Department is processing the cases and making every effort to get as many cleared before next week. There will be one more payment run this weekend where processed cases will be paid out to farmers’ bank accounts next week.

However, a high percentage of both young farmer top-ups and National Reserve payments will go into January and even into February. If money is tight, it would be wise to make arrangements with your bank or merchants.

AOES/GLAS/Organic

The remaining AEOS payments went out this week, with the Department planning to pay out some €53m under the scheme by year-end.

The first GLAS payments to at least 24,000 farmers, averaging around €800, are also ready to start rolling and should start hitting bank accounts next week.

The Department has also started to pay 85% of the Organic payments to applications from farmers who have been cleared.