IFA Calls on Department to Address Eligible Land Issue

IFA President Eddie Downey has said the Department of Agriculture meetings on CAP implementation and the 2015 area aid application, currently taking place around the country, must address the issue of eligible land and assist farmers by providing practical guidance before they submit their applications.

Eddie Downey said during the recent meetings on the Charter of Rights for farmers it was agreed that the Department of Agriculture would send out a booklet on eligible land to all applicants at this time. “There is a lot of confusion around the eligible land issue and there is a responsibility on the Department to give practical guidance to farmers that avoids an overzealous interpretation, which would unfairly penalise farmers. The Department booklet on the issue should be made available to all farmers without delay.”

The IFA President said that some farmers are being left in a precarious situation due to uncertainty over the eligibility status of some of their land. Eddie Downey said it is very important that farmers are allowed to maximise their payments under the new Basic Payment scheme, Greening, ANC’s and GLAS in this critical first year of the implementation of the new CAP.

Eddie Downey said farmers who have concerns in relation to eligibility on any of their land area need to take advice from their planner/advisor to ensure that all of the land claimed on this year is eligible, and avoid any penalties on ineligibility in the future.