Galway farmers from the Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmer’s Association (ICSA ) have warned the Government against making any cutbacks to the Agri Environment Options Scheme (AEOS ) in the wake of rumours that the scheme is near extinction.
AEOS had been promised to start in mid March, but concerns are growing as an opening date has yet to be announced. Minister for Agriculture, Simon Coveney, recently stated that all was being done to protect the scheme, but stopped short of guaranteeing its complete protection.
AEOS replaced REPS last year and previous agriculture minister Brendan Smyth set aside a fund of €50 million for the 10,000 people coming out of the REPS programme. The average payment for farmers in AEOS is approximately €7,000.
John Flynn, Connacht/Ulster vice president with the ISCA said: “Supporting the AEOS will be the first test of the new Government’s belief in the potential of the agriculture sector, as outlined in the Food Harvest 2020 report. You can’t begin to implement the Food Harvest report if you start by undermining agri-environment supports, which are vital to keeping rural Ireland working. In addition, the success of our food strategy is dependent on being able to demonstrate that we are the natural, green food-producing island. Saving a few bob is a false economy when the agricultural sector has the potential to expand, if given a chanc.
“The Government must be cognisant of the fact that the closure of REPS by the previous government undermined confidence and is hitting vulnerable, less profitable, cattle and sheep farms. At a very minimum, these farmers need a stable replacement scheme as they are fazed out of REPS 3 if they are to survive. Supporting the viability of cattle and sheep farmers is the first step in developing our agri-food exports.”
He concluded: “If we can find billions to support banks, then surely it’s not too much to find €50 million to support agriculture, exports and the environment especially where Galway farmers are concerned.”
