Ongoing issues with the Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES) and concerns over generational renewal were among the main talking points at a meeting in Co. Kerry last night (Thursday, September 5).

The event was part of a series of pre-budget meetings with politicians being organised by the Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) county executives across the country.

The Kerry IFA meeting at the Rose Hotel in Tralee was attended by Minister for Education and Fianna Fáil TD Norma Foley, Sinn Féin TD and the party’s justice spokesperson Pa Daly and Independent TDs Michael Healy-Rae and Danny Healy-Rae.

Kerry IFA chair Jason Fleming stressed to the politicians how “uncertainty” around the future of farming is having a major impact on the sector.

ACRES

Many farmers at the meeting spoke of their frustration with the ACRES scheme and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine’s (DAFM’s) move to clawback overpayments due to the interim payment issued to farmers earlier this year.

One farmer criticised the department for launching ACRES without giving farmers and planners “the full details and criteria for the scheme”.

“There were a lot of people that were depending on that money and they’re clawing it back,” he said.

Minister Norma Foley accepted that when a scheme is opened the terms and conditions that apply to it should be available at that time.

“I’m aware of it though my own office, the stress that’s being caused in terms of overpayments and them being clawed back,” she said.

The minister said she would continue to engage with her party colleague Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Charlie McConalogue on the issue.

She added that there is a commitment to make long-awaited payments on Non-Productive Investments (NPIs) before the end of the year.

(L-R) Jason Fleming Kerry IFA chair, Danny Healy-Rae TD, Michael Healy-Rae TD, Minister for Education Norma Foley, Pa Daly TD, Kathleen Herlihy Kerry IFA second delegate

Deputy Danny Healy-Rae said that the handling of ACRES scheme was “a thundering disgrace”.

“There’s so many farmers day after day, night after night asking my office not to take the money from them this year now and to hold back on it until next year and that’s what I’m asking the minister,” he said.

Deputy Pa Daly also criticised the department rollout of the flagship agri-environmental scheme.

“If you want to set up a scheme, it should be done properly and clearly the department of agriculture hadn’t their homework done in relation to that.

“When the scores weren’t done and they gave the interim payment of €5,000 and to be sending letters afterwards, I think everyone will agree it’s unfair and unjust,” he said.

Deputy Michael Healy-Rae said that the amount of letters issued to Kerry farmers on ACRES overpayments is “frightening”.

He noted that many farmers may have already spent the ACRES interim payment to cover costs on their farms.

Young farmers

The issue of generational renewal and attracting young farmers into the sector was also discussed at length during the meeting.

Minister McConalogue recently announced his intention to establish a Commission on Generational Renewal in Farming.

Kathleen Herlihy, Kerry IFA second representative, noted that just 7% of Irish farmers are under the age of 35.

“We have to do more for young farmers because they’re not making that choice of going into farming, so there has to be something wrong.

“Minister McConalogue said he is going to be looking at a farm retirement scheme, looking is no good, being honest. It’s good that it’s being talked about, but our time is very short. 33% of farmers are over 65, time is not on our side.

“I personally think the government needs to take it seriously that they have to treat it with great urgency.

“We need something now or very soon, in the next year or two because there are a lot of farmers just hanging on by the skin of their teeth, some of them in their 70s,” she said.

Kerry IFA chair Jason Fleming welcomed that both Taoiseach Simon Harris and Minister McConalogue have stated that they are looking at funding for a retirement scheme.

Minister for Education Norma Foley and Kerry IFA chair Jason Fleming

Minister Foley said that the proposed new commission is “a positive step forward” as it has been around 11 years since the previous farmer retirement scheme was in place.

“It is a statement of intent, it is a recognition that there is an issue and it’s a determination to find a solution,” she said.

She added that “the difficulty going forward is to ensure that it is viable and attractive to young farmers to be within the agricultural sector”.

Along with a retirement scheme, the minister said many options will be examined such as the long term leasing scheme and inheritance tax.

Deputy Michael Healy-Rae told the meeting that young people in farming are “getting scarce”.

“We know that farming is not what it was because 20 years ago you had a good retirement scheme, you had a good young entrants scheme, you had a good REPS payment.

“All you’re getting now is the slops off the table and you’ve to jump through hoops to get it. You’re tied up with gobbledegook and red tape. It’s a nightmare. You’d want to marry an accountant now for a young farmer,” he said.

Many of those present in the room also raised the difficulties for farmers in securing planning permission.

Four of Kerry’s TDs during the Kerry IFA meeting in Tralee

Another farmer told Minister Foley that “current government policy is killing full-time farming, commercial agriculture, by a thousand cuts with all the red tape and regimes”.

“You [the government] have to start listening to the people on the ground and stop listening to civil servants because you’re putting us out of business,” he said.

In response, the minister said that where a new measure must be brought in for farmers there has to be funding put in place.

The meeting also heard concerns about farm inspections, forestry, the National Bovine Tuberculosis (TB) Eradication Scheme, compensation for designated land, the proposed vet school and VAT on animal vaccines.

ACRES

Young farmers

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