With the ANC review due for release next Thursday (Nov 22nd), IFA Rural Development Chairman Joe Brady said the Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed must protect the areas that are currently classified, and ensure the payment rates in 2019 relate to the natural handicap, with higher payments going to the most marginal land.
Joe Brady said the review, which has been worked on for some time based on new biophysical criteria, must guarantee that all farmers who depend on ANC payments continue to receive payments and that no farmer is at a loss.
The IFA Rural Development Chairman said the scheme will be worth €250m next year. This follows an increase of €50m over the last two Budgets.
“The payments of ANC along with other direct payments supports such as BPS and GLAS represent a significant proportion of overall farm income in the areas that are classified as ANC. The Minister must ensure that this situation does not change. In the forthcoming CAP 2020 talks, IFA will be seeking a further increase in the ANC allocation to bring it to €300m per annum.”
