| IFA President John Bryan said the proposal to make an advanced payment as opposed to a full payment for the Disadvantaged Areas from next week is a body blow to low income farmers anxiously awaiting the full amount. He said this move is unprecedented and unacceptable as farmers expected that they would receive their full payment in the normal way from next week. In addition, he said it is not on that over 20,000 farmers are facing delays with the advanced payment as a result of mapping and processing problems. John Bryan called on the Minister for Agriculture Brendan Smith to payout a 100% of the Disadvantaged Area payment to all farmers without delay. Delaying the second tranche of Disadvantaged Area payments until early November will lead to cash flow problems on farms as these payments are the first direct payment many farmers will receive this year. John Bryan said the Department cannot hide behind the mapping problems as farmers had applied for the Single Farm Payment and Disadvantaged Area payments over 4 months ago. He said the Department should be in a position to make the full Disadvantaged Area payment and the advance of the Single payment with adjustments at a later stage. The IFA President said the 50% advance on the Single Farm Payment from October 18th is a positive move and will help cash flow on many farms. However, he said the payments should be made to all farmers and it is unacceptable that the advance may be delayed in up to 20,000 cases. John Bryan said the mapping and administrative problems that are holding back payments must be sorted out immediately as farmers cannot afford any delay in direct payments. He said farmers are awaiting their Single Farm payment, Disadvantaged Area, REPS, AEOS, Sheep scheme and other payments between now and the end of the year. He said these payments represent a major component of farming and in many cases represent the full farm income. |
Friday, 17 September 2010 16:36