This is a subscriber-only article
The Department of Agriculture has created the €2m 2016 Fodder Aid Scheme to compensate farmers for direct replacement costs in instances where genuine damage to silage, hay, concentrates or straw has been caused by the flooding in December 2015 and/or January 2016.
The form, which has become available for the first time today (Thursday), on the Department of Agriculture website, asks for the farmer applicant’s herd number, name, address, phone number, mobile and the livestock numbers on their holding.
The terms and conditions reiterate that financial aid will “only be paid in instances where genuine damage to silage, hay, concentrates or straw was caused by the flooding in December 2015 and/or January 2016”.
To this end, all applications will be subject to an “on-farm verification by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and the damaged fodder must be evident at the time of inspection in order for an applicant to be eligible for aid under this scheme”.
The Department has also sepcified that no aid will be payable in respect of applications where the total claim is less than €100.
Applicants are also required to fill out a specific table which details the location of the damaged fodder, as well as the damaged fodder type and the amount.
You also have to specify whether your farm has insurance cover and if damaged fodder is covered by the policy. If it is, you will not be eligible for payment, according to the terms and conditions.
Finally, eligibility to receive funding under the scheme is dependent on the applicant remaining within the €15,000 individual aid limit in the 2014-2016 fiscal years, as set out in EU Commission Regulations. Where any aid awarded exceeds this amount, no payment will issue.
All applications must be sent to Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Direct Payments Unit (Fodder Aid Section), Government Offices, Old Abbeyleix Road, Portlaoise, Co Laois, by 22 January 2016. Those with extra queries can phone the Department helpline on 0761-064 426.
Hardship recognition scheme
Meanwhile, the Department of Agriculture has yet to draw up the terms and conditions for the second scheme for farmers announced this week, the hardship recognition scheme. A spokesperson from the Department said that getting money out to farmers under the Fodder Aid Scheme is a priority and the hardship recognition scheme will be implemented once the floods begin to subside.
Fall in water levels on River Shannon
The Office of Public Works (OPW) has announced today that all gauges on the River Shannon have fallen in the past 48 hours for the first time in many days.
In the upper catchment area of Carrick-on-Shanon, a fall of 3cm has been recorded and levels are now 18cm below their recent peak of 10 December 2015.
In the mid-catchment, levels fell by 3cm in Loughrea and 1cm in Athlone. However, levels are still 2cm above 2009 peak levels, so the OPW has stressed there is still a severe flooding situation in this area.
Downstream to Lough Derg, levels have fallen by 3cm, meaning that levels are now 3cm below 2009 peak levels.
The water levels near Limerick city have experienced a 7cm fall and they are now 14cm below the recent peak of 13 December.
The River Erne at Belturbet in Co Cavan has fallen by 4cm and it is now 4cm below its recent peak. But the OPW says this river needs to be monitored closely in light of the heavy rainfall overnight.
Weather forecast
Met Éireann has forecast that the rain from this morning will clear in the afternoon but some scattered showers will develop again later. Winds will be light, with frost and icy patches on some roads. Some pockets of fog are possible towards dawn also. Lowest temperatures of -1°C to plus 2°C.
Friday will be a cold and bright day, with sunny spells and scattered rain or hail showers, these mainly in coastal areas, with most other areas having a good deal of dry weather. Top temperatures of 4°C to 7°C, in fairly slack southerly breezes.
SHARING OPTIONS: