Advisors have been working “flat out” for the past 15 months trying to keep up with scheme deadlines, according to president of the Agricultural Consultants Association (ACA), Noel Feeney.
In the latest episode of Agriland’s AgriFocus podcast, Feeney discussed the pressure on advisors since the terms and conditions for Agri-Climate Rural Environmental Scheme (ACRES) 1 were released in October 2022.
Feeney said a “plethora of schemes” with very short application windows before closing dates, and some with closing dates on the same day, has added to the pressure felt by advisors.
“If we look at this last 15 months, say from October 2022 where we got the terms and conditions of ACRES 1, and since that, advisors have been flat out advising farmers regarding the different schemes,” he said.
“As an advisory body and private consultant, we’re very flexible. We’re not talking about nine-to-five office hours here now the last 15 months.
“People have very serious problems meeting these deadlines,” Feeney added.
Feeney said advisors have felt pressure to help farmers meet scheme deadlines.
“Pressure is a huge thing. A lot of advisers have talked to me about pressure.
“They’ve felt pressure on themselves, and their families felt pressure. There is a cost to all these deadlines.”
Feeney said health and safety is often only discussed in relation to farmers, and that it must be brought up as an issue faced by advisors too.
“Advisors are out walking highlands and lowlands for ACRES during the depths of that last winter. Very poor ground conditions, health and safety issues there,” he said.
CAP reform
Ahead of a reform of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), Feeney said a “proper plan” must be put in place to ensure that schemes do not run at the same time.
“Something going forward to the next CAP reform, and that’s only around the corner because time goes very quick as we all know, there has to be a proper plan put in place going forward so all these schemes are not running at the same time,” the ACA president said.
He said there needs to be suitable “windows of opportunities” for farmers to apply to the schemes.
To do this, Feeney said applications for these schemes should start earlier, and windows for applications should be made longer.
“Maybe some of these schemes could be doubled up and involved in one bigger scheme,” he said.
You can listen to the whole interview with ACA president Noel Feeney by clicking here.