With around 8,000 farmers having joined the AEOS scheme by the closing date of 17 May last, IFA is now calling for a commitment from the Minister for Agriculture, Brendan Smith, that the scheme will be reopened again for farmers by autumn of this year.

Monaghan IFA Rural Development Chairman Seamus Traynor pointed out that up to 23,000 farmers will be leaving REPS 3 over the next 12 months and it is vital that the AEOS scheme is available to this group of farmers and others by the end of the year.  The commencement date for many of these plans should be set from 1 January 2011.

In relation to farmers who have applied for the AEOS scheme this year, Mr Traynor said that plans must commence from 1st June. According to him, this should be made possible by the Minister, as the plans were lodged with the Department of Agriculture by that date. This would allow a payment of 7 months for 2010 up to a maximum of €2,900 with full year payments commencing from next year until the end of the 5-year plan.

The IFA Rural Development Chairman urged the Department of Agriculture to write to AEOS farmers who have applied to confirm their acceptance into the scheme. Mr Traynor feels that this is necessary, as it will allow farmers to commence with environmental work on whatever options they have chosen to carry out. Concluding Mr Traynor said that it was vitally important that the Minister gets confirmation from the EU Commission and gives notice to farmers of the changes to the payment levels in Natura areas of €150/ha and the level of Nitrogen allowed on species rich grassland of 30kg.