Over 1,500 farmers have made a petition under the Areas of Natural Constraint (ANC) designation appeals process.
The highest number of petitions came from Co. Wexford where 531 farmers appealed designations under the scheme. The submissions received so far represent 762 distinct townlands.
As the deadline for submissions under the appeals process – April 8, 2019 – fast approaches a total of 1,507 farmers have petitioned the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine’s process because 700 townlands were excluded from the 2019 scheme.
The department also confirmed that 2,000 townlands were included in the scheme for the first time.
Meanwhile the submissions lodged into the process have come from farmers across the country.
‘Considerable financial loss’
Deputy president of the Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers’ Association (ICMSA) Lorcan McCabe said that because the deadline is fast approaching “farmers who feel they have grounds to appeal should do so quickly”.
He went on to say that for the farmers in the excluded 700 townlands they faced “a considerable financial loss”.
He also pointed out that it is imperative that these farmers avail of the opportunity to appeal the decision “before time runs out”.
In addition farmers whose lands have not been designated can also appeal to seek the inclusion of their townland under the ANC Scheme.
McCabe continued: “There is also an opportunity to appeal the category your townland has been designated under and this is important in the context of the level of payment.”
Upon concluding McCabe advised all farmers intending to appeal their designation to do so immediately “as the outcome could determine the ANC status of their land for many years to come”.