IFA Hill Farmers Say Commonage Plans Must Not Hold Up Final Glas Payment

IFA Hill Farming Committee Chairman Flor McCarthy has called on the Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed to lift the requirement that final commonage plans must be in place before the final 15% GLAS 2017 payment is made.

He said this is necessary due to serious cash flow difficulties on hill farms due to the fodder crisis, which has meant many farmers had to pay for expensive feeding to maintain their sheep.

Flor McCarthy said that 9,000 commonage farmers are due their final 15% GLAS payment, worth around €7m, but are in danger of having the payment delayed as this final payment is contingent on having commonage management plans fully completed.

IFA is urging Minister Creed to pay all farmers their final 2017 payment and to extend the deadline to later in the year.

This is also a very busy time for planners as they complete farmers BPS applications which all have to be done online this year.