€24 million ANC boost for Galway’s farmers

GALWAY farmers are expected to benefit to the tune of approximately €24 million from the ANC (Areas of Natural Constraint) payments announced this week by Minister for Agriculture, Michael Creed.

Payment has been cleared for almost 65,000 farmers nationally in what was known as the old headage scheme, with lodgements to farmers’ account taking place from earlier this week.

In the region of 10,000 farmers from different of Galway will benefit under the scheme with the vast majority of them getting text confirmation over the past seven days that their payments would be going through this week.

Galway IFA Chairman, Pat Murphy, while welcoming the payments in what has been a very difficult financial year for farmers, advised anyone who hadn’t received the confirmation texts, to check out their situation as soon as possible.

“In many cases, payments may be held up over relatively minor clarifications. Any farmer who hasn’t got confirmation of their payments should pick up the phone straight away and get onto the Department,” said Pat Murphy.

He also said that the IFA were pressing the Minister to restore the ANC payments to the pre-2008 levels before ‘significant cuts’ were made in the scheme due to the financial crisis.

“This is one of the most direct ways to provide a financial injection to farmers in disadvantaged areas and we really see no reason why the payments should not be restored to the pre-2008 levels,” said Pat Murphy.

Agriculture Minister, Michael Creed, said that the payments represented a significant and timely boost for farmers and for the wider rural economy.

He also confirmed that arrangements were on target to facilitate payment of the advance of 70% the Basic Payment Scheme from October 17 next.

Last year, Galway topped the ‘league table’ for ANC payments with €23.9 million, followed by Mayo (€22.8m), Donegal (€18.1m), Kerry (€17.1m), Cork (€15.4m), Clare (€13.1m) and Roscommon (€11.3m).