Department to seek advance payments from EU for farmers

THE DEPARTMENT of Agriculture is preparing a case to convince the EU to advance single farm payments to tillage farmers as they face the “most difficult situation since the mid-80s”.

The IFA says the weather is now threatening up to €150 million worth of grain crops.

The association’s national grain committee chairman, Colum McDonnell, said less than two-thirds of the harvest had been gathered and the deteriorating ground conditions were proving very frustrating for tillage farmers. In the northeast and midlands, just 50 per cent of the harvest was in.

“Winter wheat is the predominant crop in north Kildare, Meath, Dublin and Louth. Persistent rainfall, high grain moisture and poor trafficability have limited harvesting opportunities in the last three weeks,” he said. Every extra day grain crops were in the ground meant a yield loss.

“Crops are over-ripe and prone to sprouting and straw breakdown. The excessive moisture levels and the poor ground conditions have dramatically slowed down the harvest throughout, even when the rain holds off. At a time when the harvest should be coming to a close, growers are hoping for a week of sunshine to finish. If the weather doesn’t take up, crops worth €150 million are at risk.”

He said farmers were in a “salvage situation”, with serious financial implications for many grain farmers and called for an advance on the single farm payment to help with cash-flow difficulties.

A spokesman said Minister for Agriculture Brendan Smith shared farmers’ concerns about the impact weather was having, “particularly over recent weeks”.

“He has arranged that his department prepare a case seeking [European] commission approval for an advance payment of the Single Payment Scheme in line with the arrangements agreed by the commission in 2006 and 2007, whereby a 50 per cent advance payment was made from October 16th, the earliest possible date under the regulations.”

Balancing payments can be made from December 1st under the scheme.

EU rules governing the disadvantaged areas and single payment schemes require all on-farm inspections be carried out before the start of any payments. The department was making every effort to complete the 2008 inspection programme to ensure the earliest payment to farmers.

The department expects to begin payments under the disadvantaged scheme in the latter half of September. The south and southeast have seen the most progress, with over 70 per cent of grain harvested.