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A tillage crisis scheme has been given the green light by the Department of Agriculture and the scheme has been sent to the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform for approval, the Irish Farmers Journal understands.
The total amount of money available in the package is unknown as of yet.
Speaking to the Irish Farmers Journal, IFA grain committee chair Liam Dunne said that the hardship of last year’s crisis is palpable.
“Some farmers haven’t been able to finance crops for this year; they haven’t been able to. They have no money, they got nothing from last harvest. It’s really serious for some people.
“Farmers who invested €400/ac per crop have been left with a €400 bill per acre.”
What are the details of the fund?
Dunne said that farmers will be able to apply for a maximum payment of €15,000 under the terms of the tillage crisis fund scheme.
“Farmers will have to prove a minimum of 30% loss [of crops] and the scheme will be open for about a month.
“We’re pleading with officials to get it sorted so money can get out to farmers.”
Dunne said it looks unlikely that straw losses will be included in the scheme, that the loss wasn’t quantifiable. The Department is expected to set an amount per hectare for grain losses.
“The IFA will be setting up a helpline as soon as the scheme is officially announced for farmers to provide them with more details of the scheme.”
Background
Last autumn, in the region of 200 to 300 farmers suffered serious crop losses as a result of bad weather.
There were repeated calls from Fianna Fáil’s Charlie McConalogue for the Government to establish a fund for farmers affected by the losses.
McConalogue tabled a Dáil motion in January calling for a crisis fund.
The counter-motion prepared by the Government, which notes actions already taken to help grain growers, was defeated by 87 votes against to 49 in favour, with no abstentions.
Now it appears after months of discussions on such a fund, one looks set to be announced in the coming weeks.
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