Deadline extension will ease pressure

A MID-JUNE extended deadline for the receipt of Basic Payment Scheme and GLAS applications will go a long way towards freeing-up the logjam faced by planners and farmers, according to farming and planners representatives.

Last week, Minister for Agriculture, Simon Coveney, said that he warmly welcomed the announcement from Ag. Commissioner, Phil Hogan, that he was considering extending the submission deadldine following requests from member states.

Minister Coveney said  that an additional period would take some of the pressure off farmers who are coming to grips with the extensive changes in the CAP.  “We have asked for early clarification of the new application deadlines and that this extension should apply to Pillar I and to Pillar II schemes,” said Minister Coveney.

Connacht IFA Regional Chairman, Tom Turley, said that an extension to a mid-June date for the schemes would make a huge difference to farmers and planners.

He said that with many planners facing ongoing difficulty with the Department’s online service, the need was all the more acute for the extension of the deadline date.

“With the change to the Basic Payments Scheme and the later introduction of GLAS, farmers and planners were facing into impossible deadlines.

“A meaningful date extension into mid-June will help greatly to relieve that pressure. It is just the sensible thing to do – the same things applies to other EU member states,” said Tom Turley.

Leading Agri-Consultant, Vincent Costello from New Inn, told the Farming Tribune that while they hadn’t yet received specific information on the extension dates, it would be a very welcome development for all concerned.

“Realistically with GLAS coming on stream as well as the new Basic Payments Scheme, the timeline was just far too tight for both planners and farmers. We are also hoping for a lengthy extension of the Commonage Management Plans deadline that currently stands at July 3, 2015,” said Vincent Costello.

IFA President, Eddie Downey, said that the closing date extension for the 2015 EU Basic Payment application would provide the necessary breathing space for farmers and advisors, ‘but it cannot result in any delay in payments later in the year’.

“There is still a lot confusion in relation to the implementation of the new CAP rules for 2015 and farmers must be given adequate time to take the necessary steps to maximise their payments.

“Farmers and planners should continue to push hard in order to get the maximum number of area aid applications in as early as possible as this will facilitate early processing and payment,” said Eddie Downey.