Farm organisations are calling for a range of measures for farmers in Budget 2020, which will be announced on Tuesday 8 October by Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe.

Funding for Brexit losses, funding for sucklers and measures for price volatility are being sought by farm groups.

IFA

The IFA has called for a Brexit fund, which would be a comprehensive package of market support measures, including direct support for farmers to include structural and adjustment fundings. It wants to include the setting aside of the state aid limits.

The association wants a €38m increase in funding for suckler cow farmers, in addition to the existing Beef Data and Genomics Programme (BDGP) and Beef Environmental Efficiency Programme (BEEP) schemes to bring total funding to €100m.

It also wants increased Areas of Natural Constraint (ANC) funding of €50m.

On tax, it wants the “discrimination in the tax system for self-employed including the Earned Income Tax Credit and USC surcharge” removed.

It said TAMS funding must be increased to €120m to meet all current and future payment claims and to ensure the full RDP allocation is spent.

For farmers on natura land, it has called for an allocation of €10m for the reopening of the NPWS Farm Plan Scheme.

It wants the contributory pension calculation to be in line with the National Pensions Framework and those on Farm Assist be credited with PRSI contributions.

It has also proposed that the €35m revenue generated from the sugar tax on sweetened drinks should be directed towards the promotion of the consumption of fresh and healthy Irish produce.

ICMSA

The ICMSA has called for another Brexit fund to compensate farmers for losses.

The ICMSA believes that the Government must develop a workable and straightforward agri-taxation measure in Budget 2020 that will help farmers to manage the inherent volatility within the sector, especially during years of low output prices.

It has proposed the introduction of a farm management deposit scheme (FMDS). It also called for the equalisation of earned income credit in Budget 2020 to PAYE levels from 1 January 2020.

It also wants the elimination or further reduction of the Universal Social Charge in Budget 2020 and an amendment to allow the deduction of pension deductions before the USC is calculated.

The ICMSA wants the stamp duty rate to be reduced to 2% for agricultural land sales.

Budget 2020 should provide for the introduction of a new stock relief measure whereby farmers would be allowed 100% stock relief on additional expenditure of up to €100,000, according to the ICMSA.

It has also called for a scrappage scheme for PTO shafts.

INHFA

The INFHA is seeking a national scheme called the beef cow/calf health plan with a budget of €160m, with payments of €200 on the first 10 cows and a degressive payment on the next 15 cows.

It is seeking €1m for research on the positive impact suckler beef provides in relation to improving biodiversity and mitigating against the effects of climate change.

On Brexit, it says additional funding is needed to help develop more markets for Irish beef, both in Europe and beyond.

It also said there is a “need for an increase in the direct payments made to Ireland through the CAP budget to help insulate some of the harder effects of Brexit”.

In Budget 2020, it is seeking the re-establishment of export refunds for Irish farm produce sold on the world market.

The INHFA is proposing that all of the €100m allocated to the Sheep Welfare Scheme over the four years is spent inside the sheep sector.

It wants an increase in the ANC budget by €50m, which will bring the overall budget up to €300m.

On forestry, it has called for the suspension of all State subsidies and tax breaks for the planting, replanting and the annual subsidisation of (newly planted) Sitka spruce and other coniferous trees, pending a full review to assess their impact and suitability.

The INHFA has also called for relief to continue at 1% for family farm transfers under the consanguinity clause for the next three years.

Macra na Feirme

Macra na Feirme has outlined six key priorities for the organisation in Budget 2020.

It said it supports the National Youth Council of Ireland proposal for a €3m increase in the youth services grant by the Department of Children and Youth Affairs for 2020.

Macra has called for the combined threshold of €70,000 for young farmer stamp duty relief, 100% stock relief and succession partnerships tax credits to increase to €140,000.

It has proposed the development of a national rural network for Ireland which would require “urgent” funding.

Macra has proposed a capital investment of €500,000 per annum to 2025 for the establishment of a sexing facility suitable for processing 100,000 units and to be used by both commercial companies and research bodies such as Teagasc.

“Also, financial support for the licensing cost of the sexing equipment to ensure greater uptake of sexing technology by AI companies. This would lead to a greater uptake by farmers resulting in reduced fines for missed targets for Climate Change in 2030,” it said.

The young farmer organisation has called for a fast-track system of applying for the TAMS scheme for young farmers and farmers participating in this voluntary agricultural sustainability support and advisory programme.

It has also proposed to expand stamp duty relief to include all land transferred in registered succession farm partnerships up to the age of 40 and to extend the maximum age to avail of stamp duty relief on the purchase of land to all young trained farmers up to age of 40.

ICSA

The ICSA was contacted for its pre-budget submission.

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