Some 1,240 farmers enrolled in the Organic Farming Scheme are still awaiting 2016 balancing payments, according to the Department of Agriculture. A spokesperson for the Department told the Irish Farmers Journal that “440 organic farmers have received their 2016 balancing payment to date.

“It is anticipated that payment will issue to the outstanding 1,240 cases next week.”

The spokesperson also outlined the reasons for the payments not being made earlier: “Complexities arose due to the interaction with other schemes and the traceability of parcels and their respective organic status.”

For 2017 payments, it anticipated that the Department will commence the issue of 2017 advance payments to organic scheme farmers in December.