Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Charlie McConalogue TD attended the Irish Nature and Hill Farmers Association (INHFA) AGM in the Ard Rí House Hotel in Tuam on Thursday, 18th July.
The Minister addressed more than 100 delegates and took part in an open question and answer forum, covering a variety of topics of concern to the delegates.
In his speech, the Minister commented: “In the unique landscapes of our uplands and High Nature Value areas, extensive farming systems help maintain rural communities, while providing biodiversity and ecosystem services backed by ongoing, meaningful supports. The future of these environments in areas where economic activity is often limited, is closely connected to the farmers who manage them and the rural communities they sustain. I am determined to protect farmers’ incomes through CAP or our national schemes.”
Speaking of the Sheep Welfare Scheme, the Minister said: “The National Sheep Welfare Scheme, which I launched in April, attracted almost 17,200 applications with approximately 2 million ewes, and will be worth €15 million to sheep farmers this year. When combined with the SIS payments, this additional payment for sheep farmers will result in a payment equivalent to €20 per breeding ewe in 2024.
“I have doubled ewe payments since 2022 and they are now at their highest ever level. These schemes send a strong signal of my commitment to the sector and provide a valuable injection of support which will boost producer confidence in the future viability of sheep farming.”
Commenting on the 2024 Beef Welfare Scheme, the Minister said: “The National Beef Welfare Scheme which is worth €20 million will provide support of €50 per eligible calf for meal feeding and vaccination up to a maximum of 40 eligible calves. The scheme will open in early August and I intend to issue payments to participants who have cleared all necessary administrative and compliance checks in December 2024. Once again this demonstrates my strong commitment to the beef sector and fulfils my commitment to deliver €200/suckler cow and calf.”
Speaking on the Nature Restoration Law, the Minister commented: “The Government is clear that all restoration measures will be voluntary. The Government is committed to ensuring that nature restoration provides additional income streams for landowners and brings benefits to rural economies. Any restoration measures that landowners choose to participate in will be appropriately incentivised and resourced.”
In response to comments about the timeliness of ACRES payments from INHFA members, Minister McConalogue said: “I acted decisively earlier this year, in a very practical way, through the issuing of nationally-funded interim payments of €4,000 to ACRES General participants and €5,000 to ACRES Co-operation participants who had experienced delays in the processing of their advance ACRES payments.
The Minister added: “In addition to the payments made since February, a further €25.4 million issued in balancing payments in June 2024. This has brought payments made to date to 44,780 ACRES participants to over €234 million. ACRES balancing payments in respect of 2023 will continue to be made on a fortnightly basis, as cases are cleared.
“I have also put flexible arrangements in place to facilitate repayment by farmers whose interim payment exceeded their final ACRES payment, and who now find themselves in an overpayment situation, including the option to have this overpayment recovered from their next ACRES payment.”
Concluding the Minister said: “I always enjoy meeting and engaging with the INHFA and I am well aware from first-hand experience of the valuable work done by the organisation in campaigning on behalf of its members, farming on High Nature Value land and in upland areas. I look forward to working closely with INHFA members throughout the next year on the challenges facing this important sector.”
 AGM in the Ard Rí House Hotel in Tuam on Thursday, 18th July.){kind=link}