Coveney’s comments on GLAS welcomed by hill farmers

Coveney’s comments on GLAS welcomed by hill farmers


Anton McNulty

A GROUP representing hill and commonage farmers has welcomed the Minister for Agriculture’s comments where he said that farmers will be able to individually apply for the GLAS scheme.
The Minister for Agriculture, Simon Coveney was speaking on RTÉ Radio One’s farming show, Countrywide on Saturday morning when he was asked on hill farmers’ concerns regarding the GLAS scheme.
Speaking to the host Damien Reilly, Minister Coveney reassured hill and commonage farmers that he has been listening to their concerns and is constantly changing the GLAS scheme to help them.
“There is nothing agreed in GLAS, we are constantly changing and amending GLAS and listening to farmers and their concerns. Can I just say to hill farmers who may be concerned with this, there will be no 50 percent requirement in commonage areas. Farmers will be able to apply on their own rather than in a collective application process. If people are penalised they will be penalised individually rather than collectively,” he said.
His words were welcomed by Brendan Joyce, a spokesperson for the newly created farming organisation, the Irish Natural and Hill Farmers Association (INHFA).

‘Significant change’
“If the Minister is saying this, then it will be a significant change in direction from what we were informed and from what we started from on July 3 last. If he is saying we can apply as individuals then that is a substantial move in the direction we had proposed in our 12 point plan. As far as I am aware this has not been published or I have not seen anything to show the criteria has been changed, but I would welcome it,” he said.
Mr Joyce added that there were other barriers in front of commonage farmers from joining GLAS and one centred around the Commonage Management Plan farmers had to draw up. He explained at a number of farmers had shares in more than one commonage and under the current proposals would have more than one plan.
He called for the Department of Agriculture to take ownership of Plan appoint their agent or advisor under agreed terms including methods of payment for plans with all stakeholders.
The INHFA was officially set up last week and Mr Joyce said the response from farmers has been very positive. He said they have got feedback not only from hill farmers but also from farmers operating in poor land who cannot access GLAS even though productive farmers on good land will have access to payments.
Mr Joyce added that they will not be critical for the sake of it but that they will have to have solutions to problems which will affect small farmers.