The Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) has said that it will not attend a meeting of the Farmers’ Charter tomorrow (Wednesday, April 5) in protest over a move to push back dates of payments for a number of schemes.
Last month, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine wrote to farmers to confirm new payment dates, after originally informing farm organisations of its plan to do so at a Farmers’ Charter meeting earlier in the month.
The next meeting of stakeholders of the charter is set to take place tomorrow, which the IFA will not be attending.
Tim Cullinan, the association’s president, said this morning: “The IFA will not be attending any further negotiations until we meet with [Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Charlie McConalogue] to discuss the proposed delay in farm payment dates and the overall charter negotiating process.
“Following the last meeting of the group, the department proceeded to announce payment dates for 2023 which in some cases are a month later than 2022, and which we completely reject.
“This is totally unacceptable,” he added.
The department has informed farmers that payments under the Areas of Natural Constraints (ANC) Scheme will be pushed back by a month to October 17, while the payment for the Basic Income Support for Sustainability (BISS) – which replaces the Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) – will be made from October 24.
The IFA has accused the department of “acting unilaterally” in making these changes.
“Delaying payments is totally wrong and the IFA will not participate in what is now a charade.
“We wrote to the minister on March 13, and again on March 22, seeking an urgent meeting to try and address these issues, but that has not happened,” Cullinan said.
According to the IFA, the minister’s officials have “already made their mind up” to push back the payment dates.
The association called on the minister to intervene to put 2023 scheme payment dates back on the negotiating table.
IFA deputy president Brian Rushe commented: “The department seems to have no concept of the importance of these payments. Thousands of farmers have their businesses structured around receiving these payments on the dates they get them every year.
“Delaying them will affect bank repayments and cashflow to meet other bills,” Rushe added.