Additional payments totaling €42 million will be issued to people who farm land in designated disadvantaged areas, the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue has confirmed today (Monday, December 5) .

The Minister for Agriculture said the “balancing” payments will be made under the 2022 Areas of Natural Constraints (ANC) scheme.

“The ANC Scheme is an important support for farmers in many regions of the country and the issue of these balancing payments on time reflects the recognition by the government of this.

“The total paid to-date under the 2022 ANC Scheme amounts to some €239 million paid to 95,000 farmers. In the region of €42 million will issue to farmers as part of this balancing run of payments,” he added. 

The ANC scheme specifically aims to support the continuation of farming in designated disadvantaged area by compensating farmers for the additional costs involved in farming this type of land.

To qualify for the scheme farmers must hold a valid herd number and farm in areas that are designated by the government as disadvantaged.

Only certain types of livestock were eligible for the ANC scheme including cattle, sheep, goats, horses, donkeys or deer.

Farmers were also required under the scheme to maintain a minimum stocking density of 0.15 livestock units per eligible forage hectare for seven consecutive months within the 2022 calendar year.

Minister McConalogue said today that the “timely processing of scheme payments remains a key priority for me and my department.

“I know how crucial payments are, especially at this time of the year.  I urge any farmer with outstanding queries to respond to the department as soon as possible to facilitate payment,” he added

Payments to beef farmers

Last week the minister also highlighted this theme when he announced €42 million in supports from two schemes for beef farmers.

An estimated 30,000 suckler and beef farmers received payments for participating in the Beef Sector Efficiency Programme BEEP-S and also the Dairy Beef Calf Programme.

The minister said the Department for Agriculture, Food and the Marine wanted to issue payments “in a rapid manor to as many farmers as possible”.