Calls for farm inspections to be kept to a minimum

Farm organisations have asked that farm inspections are kept to a minimum and that where they do take place it is only with the agreement of the farmer.

Any inspections that the Department of Agriculture carry out during the coronavirus outbreak must only be the agreement of farmers and under strict guidelines, IFA president Tim Cullinan said.

Cullinan said: “In the circumstances we are in, we should be asking the EU to review inspections. The total focus must be on getting every farmer paid on time.”

ICMSA president Pat McCormack said inspections should be kept to a minimum and that any request to postpone an inspection on health grounds be respected by the relevant agency.

McCormack said it was imperative that farmers kept the number of visitors to their farms to an absolute minimum, allowing only essential services access for the foreseeable future.

Extension

In response to the ongoing disruption across all of society, the European Commission has offered to extend the Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) application deadline by one month from 15 May to 15 June.

However, Cullinan said any extension of the deadline could not result in a delay in direct payments.

“The 16 October payment date is far more important for farmers than the application deadline. If the application date is extended, the Minister and the Department must guarantee that the payment deadlines of 16 October will be met.”

McCormack said the closing dates for the BPS, ANC and nitrates derogation should be extended. However, the Department has ruled out an extension at this time saying it would inevitable have a knock-on effect on payments.

Flexibility

The IFA has proposed that the Government seeks flexibility from the EU to pay farmers 100% of their direct payment in October.

Cullinan said: “This is an unprecedented situation for the country and there is a need for an injection of funds into the sector. CAP can be used as a catalyst to get cash flowing in the farming and the wider economy.”

The ICMSA has called on both the banks and the Revenue Commission to support farmers as families will come under huge pressure in the coming weeks from a financial perspective.

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