There have been calls for payments to be made “immediately” under the Targeted Agricultural Modernisation Scheme (TAMS) and for inspections under the scheme to be waived.

The Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers’ Association (ICMSA) is calling for immediate payments to be made due to the “high probability of ongoing Covid-19 restrictions for a sustained period”.

Denis Drennan, the association’s Farm and Rural Affairs Committee chairperson, said that these payments should also include those applicants who are subject to an inspection.

Drennan highlighted that, at the present time, there are outstanding bridging and other investment-related loans to be paid by farmers.

“If these loans are not paid on schedule, there will be an additional financial cost on farmers at a time when very many are facing a massively uncertain period, with plunging output prices a major concern,” Drennan highlighted.

He added: “An additional factor is that some of the investment may have been funded from cash-flow, which is now under severe strain on many farms due to the effects of Covid-19.

“We are in unprecedented times and – provided farmers’ paperwork is in order – we believe that that TAMS payments should be made immediately and the physical farm inspection waived,” Drennan outlined.

He concluded: “The reality is that the vast majority of cases are not physically inspected and this concession therefore does not represent a major change, while being a real help to farmers during the current crisis.”

ANC

In other news related to schemes and Covid-19, earlier today, Thursday, April 9, the Irish Natura and Hill Farmers’ Association (INHFA) called for the funding to the Areas of Natural Constraints (ANS) Scheme to be increased by €100 million.

The INHFA said that the money was needed to “compensate our primary producers of sucklers, store cattle, sheep and lambs”.

Colm O’Donnell, the association’s president, called on Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Michael Creed to “act swiftly and decisively to help cash-flow on suckler cow and sheep farms throughout the country”.