Following nearly six hours of sometimes heated debate yesterday, the IFA council decided to accept a package and take part in the new social partnership programme, writes Seán MacConnell Agriculture Correspondent.
The main advances made by the largest farming group in the State included a revamp of the Rural Environment Protection Scheme (REPS) and improved Farm Waste Management Scheme grants, in a package worth €260 million to farmers
The IFA also extracted a promise from the Government to lessen the impact of the EU Nitrates Directive, to secure Commission approval to allow limits of up to 250kg/nitrogen per hectare to be allowed in "appropriate circumstances". The EU has set an upper limit of 210kg/N per hectare.
The Department also agreed to carry out a complete review of the REPS, effectively increasing the rates paid to farmers taking part by 30 per cent.
The document negotiated between the Minister for Agriculture, Mr Walsh, and the IFA president, Mr John Dillon, late on Monday set the new rates at €200 for the first 20 hectares, €175 for the next 20 hectares and €70 for the next 15 hectares (i.e., cumulative up to a maximum of 55 hectares per holding).
The agrement also increased the upper income limits for farmers taking part in the waste management scheme to allow more farmers take part.
It increased the maximum amount of investment eligible for grant aid from €50,790 to €75,000 with a full updating of standard costing. It also increased the investment ceiling for the Dairy Hygiene Scheme to €50,000.
Other advances made by the IFA included the establishment of an independent appeals committee to deal with the destocking percentages on commonage.
Both sides agreed to review the EU regulations covering Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) and Special Protection Areas(SPAs), which had brought Dúchas into conflict with the farm organisation.
The agreement said: "This review will include issues of procedure (including consultation and compensation for restrictions arising from the regulations) on which farming interests have raised concerns, and the formalisation of the role of the SAC appeals advisory board."
Mr Dillon said farmers now looked forward to the rapid implementation by the Government of important partnership commitments in the areas of higher payment rates for REPS and improved farm investment schemes, renewed commitment to farm forestry and overhaul of SACs.
Commitments have also been given to cut down on bureaucracy and improve delivery in payment schemes.