Cuts in Direct Payments Impacting on Farm Income – Aeos 3 Must Be a Priority

IFA Rural Development Chairman Flor McCarthy has said that cuts to direct payments are impacting severely on farm income and the introduction of an AEOS 3 scheme must be a priority for the Minister for Agriculture Simon Coveney.
Speaking following a meeting of the IFA National Rural Development Committee this week, Flor McCarthy said that members were unanimous that farmers who have suffered cuts to vital farm schemes in the past number of years, must have the option of an AEOS 3 scheme to support farm income.

He said, “Farmers have taken enormous cutbacks over the past four years and Minister Coveney must now demonstrate his commitment to low-income farmers as the poor weather and falling commodity prices impact severely on farm income.”

The IFA Rural Development Chairman said the loss of REPS 3 to thousands of farmers is leading to financial cash flow problems on farms and an AEOS 3 would help to alleviate this problem.

He said, “It is critical that Ireland has a meaningful scheme, in the context of CAP reform and securing full Pillar 2 Rural Development funding.”