The president of the Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA), Tim Cullinan has said that “no other sector in society would put up with having to wait an extra month for their salary”.
Although the Areas of Natural Constraints (ANC) payments would traditionally be issued this week, he said farmers have to wait another month until Tuesday, October 17.
Cullinan was speaking to Agriland editor Stella Meehan on the Agriland livestream in association with UPMC at the Agriland pavilion at the National Ploughing Championships today (Tuesday, September 19).
The IFA protested against the delay in farm payments and the announced cut to Ireland’s Nitrates Derogation outside political think-ins in Tipperary and Limerick last week.
“No other sector in society would put up with having to wait an extra month for their salary.
“The ANC should be out this week, it is not out, it won’t be out for another month and the first BISS is out in a number of weeks as well,” Cullinan told the Agriland livestream.
The IFA president added that Ireland was one of the first countries to return its Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) Strategic Plan, including schemes, to Brussels for approval.
He urged the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue to “get the money out”, particularly ANC payments. “We haven’t seen any movements on the payments to date still.”
The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) recently wrote to farmers reminding them of key payment dates this year, including the Basic Income Support for Sustainability (BISS).
The DAFM confirmed that BISS payments will commence from Tuesday, October 24. This is a delay of over a week as traditionally payments would have commenced on October 16.
The president of the Irish Creamery and Milk Suppliers’ Association (ICMSA), Pat McCormack was also speaking with Agriland editor Stella Meehan on the Agriland livestream in association with UPMC.
McCormack said that the ICMSA has got commitment from the minister and his officials that the payment dates would return to their official dates in 2024 and beyond.
The association’s president added that they left DAFM officials “on no uncertain terms that those farmers that were approved in 2023 for payment should be paid on the traditional date”.