Rural Development Council Report November 2023

Number of applications – TAMS 3 Tranche 1
Solar Scheme	753
Dairy Investment Scheme	237
Pig & Poultry	50
Farm Safety	2060
LESS	554
Tillage Investment Scheme	446
Organics – CIS	944
Women Farmer – CIS	264
Young Farmer – CIS	442
Animal Welfare, Nutrient Management Storage	2501
	8,241 (c.€70m)

1. Scheme Updates  

TAMS 

• Tranche 1 of TAMS 3 opened in late February, on a phased basis. The deadline for applications was extended to 30^th June.  
• At the time of closing, 8,241 applications had been received. The Minister for Agriculture confirmed 100% approval for all eligible applications. Approx 50% of all items applied for were mobile items 
• Allocations c.€70m in T1. €89m in total budgeted for 2023. The total projected spend for Tranche 1 applications is c.€70m for 2023 total (normal run rate 70/75%) 
• Tranche 2 is currently open for applications. The Department have not yet indicated a closing date. Likely to only be 2 tranches in 2023, with strong demand predicted for tranche 2.  
• In the case of farmers who required the construction of slurry and manure storage facilities, or urgent animal welfare-related investments required for the winter of 2023/2024, DAFM allowed that such applicants may apply to the department for priority approval up to 15 September 2023. Approx 200 applications were received, with approvals issued.  
• Approvals for the 10 TAMS schemes are expected to issue on a phased basis, starting with Solar.  

ACRES 

• IFA successfully lobbied for the extension to the establishment deadline to a number of arable based action to 31st Oct (2023 only). This was due to the bad weather and poor ground conditions. Actions include;  

• Catch crops; 
• Environmental management of arable fallow (catch crop element only); 
• Geese and swans – arable (catch crop element only); 
• Grass margins – arable; 
• Protection/maintenance of archaeological monuments – arable; 
• Riparian buffer strips/zones – arable. 

• 98% of completed scorecards have been received by DAFM. 170,000 scorecards were issued across 10 different scorecard types  
• The Minister announced his intention to open Tranche 2 of ACRES in November, but seems limited to extra 4,000. Ranking and selection will be employed where application numbers exceed places available. IFA continue to insist that it is essential all interested farmers accommodated 
• Access agreements are currently open for farmers to allow planners apply on their behalf with applications expected to open in November.  
• 85% Advance payments for Tranche 1 applicants are expected to be issued in late November, with balancing payments due in May 2024  

Eco-Scheme	Approx. No. of Participants
Space for Nature	108,000
Extensive Livestock Production	14,000
Limiting Chemical Nitrogen Use	2,500
Planting of trees/hedgerows	1,800
Use of GPS spreader/sprayer	1,600
Soil Sampling & liming	1,100
Planting of a break crop	500
Multispecies sward	30

BISS/CRISS/Eco-Schemes 

• Advance payments for ANC commenced on 17^th October to the value of €179m to 85,000 farmers.  
• BISS & CRISS payments commenced on 24^th October with a 70% advance to 104,000 farmers worth €452m  
• Advance payments under the Eco-Scheme were issued on 31^st October, worth almost €184 million to 106,137 farmers. The payment rate is €67 per eligible hectare. 
• Balancing payments for the schemes are due in early December.  
• DAFM confirmed that it notified 9,197 farmers of an AMS notification between June and September 2023. 

National Liming Programme 

• Following demand, the total fund for the National Liming Programme was doubled to €16m. Aid will be paid at €16/t for max 40 tonne.  
• The Minister announced an extension to the deadline for the submission of invoices marked paid. The new closing date is now 7^th November 2023.  
• Provided an invoice marked paid was submitted on time with the payment claim, the lime can be delivered and spread up to 31 March 2024. 
• For farmers who avail of the extended spreading deadline, further checks will be carried out in spring 2024 to verify that lime has been spread and may require additional documentation to be provided.  

2. Activity since last National Council  

• The latest meeting of the Rural Development Committee took place on 18^th October in the Irish Farm Centre  
• IFA met with DAFM in September to discuss issues arising with TAMS & ACRES schemes. Communication is ongoing.  
• IFA attended a meeting of the CAP Strategic Plan (CSP) Stakeholder Forum  

• exchange of views on the requirements of the Good Agricultural and Environmental Condition 2 (GAEC 2) for the protection of peatlands and wetlands on which IFA have made a detailed submission 

• CAP Monitoring Committee Field Trip took place in October 

• Study Visit at ACRES Cooperation Project site led by Fergal Monaghan ACRES Leinster. 

• Negotiations for a new Farmers Charter began on 26^th January and are currently ongoing. 

• Major changes include the Areas of Natural Constraint (ANC) payment being pushed back by one month to 17^th October. The new BISS payment was also pushed back by a week to 24^th October. IFA also requested that an Independent Chair be appointed to oversee the negotiation process.  
• IFA made it clear to the Department on the day that no such delays would be accepted. Despite this, the Department acted unilaterally and wrote to all farmers advising them of these new dates.  
• IFA decided to not engage in any further negotiations until the Dept agree to revisit their unilateral decision to delay payments to farmers in the Autumn.  
• While the 2023 scenario is totally unacceptable the assurances that the payment dates will be restored for 2024 and beyond is now included in the draft charter document. IFA r-entered negotiations in November to highlight a number of other key issues surrounding payment timelines, inspections, and animal health scheme related issues.  
• IFA made a nomination for the next chair of the Farmers Charter of Rights Monitoring Committee  

• IFA met with the Director and Deputy Director of the Agriculture Appeals Office in relation to the 2022 Annual Report and Independent Review Panel 

• In 2022, the office received 635 agriculture appeals, a reduction from 809 in 2021. 
• Up to 31^st Oct 2023, the office has received 480 appeals, versus 569 appeals within the same period in 2022.  
• Legislation is being progressed to enable the appointment of an Independent Review Panel- Heads of Bill were approved in Q1 2023, draft Bill was returned from the Attorney General Office recently and is ready to move to next stage. New Review panel is expected in early 2024.  

3. Any EU/COPA developments 

• IFA have attended a number of Copa-Cogeca Post 2027 CAP, Direct Payments & Rural Development Working Parties as well as a meeting of the CAP Civil Dialogue Group, which took place on 14^th September  
• IFA provided feedback on implementation of GAEC 6 in Ireland survey 

4. Upcoming issues 

• Roll-out of scheme payments for ACRES, Young Farmer, National Reserve, approval for TAMS and relevant balancing payments due at the end of the year.  
• Copa-Cogeca Working Parties on the Common Agricultural Policy (PAC), Direct Payments & Greening (DP) and Rural Development (DR) on 16 November 2023 
• CAP Civil Dialogue Group on 23^rd November 
• Ongoing communication with DAFM on issues relating to relevant schemes