“The information regarding delayed farm payments as reported on the front page of this week’s Farmers Journal is creating serious pressure on farm families and must be rectified immediately”, stated Seymour Crawford, Fine Gael T.D. for Cavan/Monaghan.

“Farm families received a 40% drop in family farm income over the last couple of years as independently advised by Teagasc and this is on top of the delayed grant payments. Therefore farm families as a whole are under severe financial pressure and have commitments made for every penny due to them from the Area Aid, Single Farm Payment and REPS system. Any unjustified delay is completely unacceptable and unjust at this difficult time.”

“While Minister Smith has advised me personally that the thrust of the story is not correct, it is absolutely vital that he clarifies the situation straight away. He must also clarify what progress he has made regarding the nitrate directive because if he does not get the derogation removed farmers will have to adjust their production accordingly. This would not only have serious implications for pig, poultry and dairy farmers but also for the wider farm industry.”

“Minister Smith’s colleagues in Northern Ireland are taking steps to make sure that some of the farm by-products will be used in a biomass plant at Crumlin near Belfast Airport. It is long past time that the Department of Agriculture together with Teagasc utilised some of the processes developed in Germany and elsewhere for the use of farm slurry and litter if the industry is to meet the targets set by Minister Smith in his Harvest 2020 proposals”, concluded Deputy Crawford.

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