MINISTER SMITH ASSURES FARMERS ON FARM WASTE MANAGEMENT PAYMENTS

In response to queries regarding payments under the Farm Waste Management Scheme, the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Brendan Smith TD has said that “the revised Farm Waste Management Scheme is a hugely successful scheme.

"The success of the scheme has resulted in an extremely high volume of payment claims and this is expected to continue at unprecedented levels over the coming months”.

The minister indicated that because of this, there could be some difficulty in meeting the payment commitments in the Charter of Rights for farmers but said that “My department continues to process payment claims in respect of approved work under the FWM scheme.

"Additional funding has already been allocated to the scheme and to date in 2008, my department has processed payments to the value of €178m. The funding requirement is being kept under review and the question of further additional funding will be pursued as necessary.”

Notwithstanding the difficult budgetary situation the minister assured farmers that “payment will be made to all farmers who complete works in accordance with the terms and conditions of the scheme”.

Minister Smith went on to say that “the Farm Waste Management Scheme is probably the biggest ever State supported investment in farm infrastructure, particularly over such a limited period. It will have significant environmental benefits and will assist farmers to meet the requirements of the Nitrates Directive. The level of investment by farmers is a clear vote of confidence in the sector”.

The minister also reminded farmers again that all such work must be completed and a payment claim submitted to the Department by 31 December 2008. This deadline is a condition of the EU state aid approval for the scheme.

APPROVAL BEING SOUGHT AGAIN FOR EARLY SINGLE FARM PAYMENT DUE TO BAD WEATHER

Minister Brendan Smith said last week that he shares the concerns of farmers about the severe impact of the recent weather on cash-flow and farming conditions, particularly over recent weeks.

He has therefore arranged that his department prepare a case seeking Commission approval for an advance payment of the Single Payment Scheme in line with the arrangements agreed by the Commission in 2006 and 2007, whereby a 50% advance payment was made from the 16th October, the earliest possible date under the regulations.

As regards the Disadvantaged Area Payments, Minister Smith pointed out that EU regulations governing the scheme and the Single Payment Scheme require all on-farm inspections to be carried out before the commencement of any payments.

“My department is making every effort to complete the 2008 inspection programme with a view to ensuring the earliest payment to farmers.”

On this basis, the minister said that he would expect his department to begin payments under the Disadvantaged Scheme in the latter half of September. In a further initiative to alleviate the difficulties being faced by farmers, Minister Smith has announced a temporary measure to assist REPS farmers affected by current weather conditions.

The measure applies to farmers in REPS 2 and REPS 3 who are required to have spread all the slurry produced during the winter housing period by 31 August.

“I recognise that the current weather conditions make it difficult for some REPS farmers to get their slurry spread by the end of this month,” Minister Smith said.

“Indeed the Nitrates Regulations would rule out spreading in many areas at the moment. For that reason, I have agreed to extend the deadline to 15 October which is the deadline in the Nitrates Regulations themselves and also applies to farmers in REPS 4.”

While recognising the problems caused by the bad weather, the minister stressed that all REPS farmers - and all other farmers - remain subject at all times to the overriding obligation to avoid causing pollution.

“Indeed all good farmers will be even more conscious at the moment of the increased risk of inadvertently causing water pollution and they will be taking special care to avoid it,” he said.

FURTHER ACTION BY BARLEY GROWERS UNLESS GUINNESS IMPROVES ON PRICE

IFA president, Padraig Walshe, has called on Diageo to engage in meaningful negotiations on the price for this season’s malting barley. He said the company cannot continue to ignore the legitimate claims of barley growers for a price similar to last year. Padraig Walshe said failure by Diageo to engage in negotiations could lead to further action by barley growers.

“Growers are angry at the flat refusal by Diageo to intervene. The mood is militant and direct action cannot be ruled out.”

“Growers’ costs have increased by €35/t, and the offer of €180/t is unacceptable as growers cannot cover their production costs. The brewer is in a position to pass on cost increases, and has already done so once this year. Yet growers are facing steep increases in their costs and the price to them is €25 less than last year,” he said.

Mr. Walshe said until the mid-nineties, Guinness was involved in face-to-face negotiations with growers, and up to two years ago, the company had a role through the Irish Brewers Association. The IFA president said it was time for the company to resume direct negotiations on the price paid to barley growers.

Mr. Walshe said “growers are having a difficult harvest because of poor weather conditions. Many will find themselves re-assessing their plans for next year because of negative returns from lower prices and increased costs. The prospects for the coming season are that fertiliser will rise significantly. Growers will simply opt not to sow when there is no margin for them.”

I.C.S.A. - FAT CATS AND EUROCRATS ESCAPE SCRUTINY WHILE FARMERS EXPOSED TO INTRUSION

ICSA Munster vice president, Edmond Phelan, has lashed the plans to publish the names of all farmers in receipt of EU payments. He was commenting on news that the Department of Agriculture is planning to publish this information as a result of an EU regulation.

“I don’t see the EU rushing to give us details of the expenses paid to either its own officials or MEPs. Nor is there any information about what is being earned by top supermarkets or their managers. As usual, it is the ordinary people that suffer the most from EU bureaucracy whereas the fat cats and eurocrats escape closer scrutiny.”

“This is a serious invasion of privacy and is unwarranted considering that the average Single Farm Payment in Ireland is less than €10,000. Farm families are being exposed to intrusion and this will give rise to serious distress.”

“The Department of Agriculture should not proceed with this until they have further consultations with farm bodies,” he concluded.