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Farmers in marginal land who have spent thousands of euro draining heavy soils could be the worst affected as part of a review of disadvantaged areas.
By the end of 2017, all European countries must have a review of the Areas of Natural Constraint (ANC) in time for the new programme starting in 2018.
The review has been on the cards since 2003, when the European Court of Auditors requested it but it has not been carried out until now due to successive CAP reforms unwilling to touch it.
The Department of Agriculture is expected to publish draft maps next spring where it will set out its view on what the review should look like. A public consultation process will then be opened.
The IFA has launched a major new campaign in order to protect farmers’ disadvantaged area payments. The first meeting took place in Carrick-on-Shannon last Friday, where more than 300 farmers from the northwest expressed concerns over the review.
Almost 75% of the country is classed as disadvantaged in some way, with the average ANC payment to farmers being in the region of €2,200.
Launching the campaign, IFA president Joe Healy said: “ANC payments represent a significant support for up to 95,000 farmers who farm in some of the most difficult conditions. This must be recognised by European and national politicians.”
Listen to an interview with Joe Healy at the 1966 commemoration this week in our podcast below:
Listen to "Joe Healy on next year's ANC review" on Spreaker.
How a farmer’s land is classed as disadvantaged is based on soil type, sloping, soil composition and rainfall, as well as other factors.
What will worry farmers is an aspect of the review known as fine tuning. It is in the fine tuning of the proposals where smaller details of the scheme are ironed out.
Mairead McGuinness MEP said farmers who have drained and reclaimed land could be excluded from being disadvantaged as part of the review because of this investment they have made.
McGuinness said there is a real fear some farmers will lose out in the review and that the issue is “highly political” across Europe.
Independent TD Michael Fitzmaurice expressed grave concerns that farmers who have invested heavily in land drainage might be excluded from the next ANC scheme.
“It is totally unfair that any farmer who has shown initiative and was willing to spend money on improving their farm should be penalised. If that’s the case then the progressive farmers would be hit the worst out of this review,” Fitzmaurice said.
The Roscommon / east Galway TD added that he has concerns farmers with good land who are surrounded by forestry could be “lumped in as bad land” in the review.
IFA hill chair Pat Dunne said payment rates must be reflective of land type.
Central to the IFA’s campaign is the push for an increase to the ANC payment. Currently, there is an ANC budget of €205m. This will increase to €225m next year, but IFA president Joe Healy said the association is demanding this be increased to €250m.
Padraic Joyce, Connacht IFA chair: no farmer (currently) within an ANC area should be kicked out as part of the review.
Matt Carthy, Sinn Féin MEP: we support that disadvantaged area scheme budget should be €250m. These payments must support the most vulnerable farmers.
Marian Harkin, independent MEP: there must be maximum support for the maximum disadvantaged areas … farmers must be protected.
Mairead McGuinness MEP: there’s a real fear that some areas will lose out in the disadvantaged area review and it’s highly political across Europe.
John Hanley, Roscommon IFA chair: there are hundreds of acres still under water from last year’s flooding, any changes to these lands cannot be contemplated.
Northern Ireland
In Northern Ireland, the Department of Agriculture has published its maps, which saw a sizeable portion of farmers fall out of qualifying for ANC.
The plans are not finalised and work is ongoing to alter the maps before they are submitted to Brussels in 2017.
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