The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) has written to farmers confirming new scheme payment dates.
The DAFM proposed to push back dates for scheme payments at a meeting of stakeholders of the Farmers’ Charter earlier this month.
Areas of Natural Constraints (ANC) payments will be pushed back by a month to October 17, while Basic Income Support for Sustainability (BISS) payments will be made from October 24.
Farm organisations have hit out against any such proposals to delay scheme payment dates and urged the DAFM to scrap its proposals.
Scheme payment dates
President of the Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers’ Association (ICSA), Dermot Kelleher previously said he was “particularly alarmed” by the proposal to push back ANC payments by four weeks.
He said the ICSA can see “no justification for withholding farmers’ income, particularly at a time when making ends meet has become more difficult than ever”.
The Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers’ Association (ICMSA) has accused the DAFM of “doing its own thing” on timelines for payment dates under the farm schemes.
ICMSA deputy president Denis Drennan said there was no agreement on payment dates for Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) schemes at the most recent meeting of the Farmers’ Charter.
Drennan said that the DAFM has written to all farmers setting out revised payment dates “without consultation, much less agreement”.
“The Farmers’ Charter has played a hugely significant role over the last 25 years in terms of setting out farmers’ rights in relation to schemes, including payment dates, inspection rates, and notice of inspections, among other issues.
“The charter was always negotiated in good faith between the department and farm organisations. Difficult issues were always debated and agreed in the final document.
“Against the record of consultation and respect, why has the department now decided to unilaterally set payment dates for 2023 that are actually worse than previous years?” Drennan asked.