The Irish Natura and Hill Farmers Association (INHFA) have warned how the shambolic roll-out of the Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES) will impact uptake of future agri-environment schemes.
Speaking on this, national vice-president John Joe Fitzgerald detailed “how the painfully slow roll-out of payments and associated support measures will not be forgotten by farmers when it comes to agri-environmental schemes in future CAP programmes.”
In addressing ongoing concerns with ACRES the INHFA vice-president stated “how the entire process (from inception through to where we currently are with thousands of farmers still awaiting payments and clarity on their habitat scorecards) has been an unmitigated disaster.”
We must, he continued, “remember that farmers were sold a scheme that would support them in delivering on the Government’s ambition to address issues around climate change and biodiversity loss.
However, Mr. Fitzgerald says that for many farmers this promise turned into a nightmare as the Department has continued to miss payment deadlines leaving many in a precarious financial position.
He has been giving more details to Midwest Radio’s Michael D. McAndrew:
