A new Farmers’ Charter has been agreed between the Department of Agriculture and the main farming organisations which sets out the standards the Department must meet in its dealings with farmers.

The charter sets out target time frames for the Department to issue scheme payments, scheme application approvals, the outcome of farm inspections and its verdict on schemes, payment or penalty appeals.

Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue welcomed the agreement reached between his officials and farmers’ representatives on Tuesday.

“I am keenly aware of the importance of the Farmers’ Charter and the targets set down within it,” Minister McConalogue said.

“I recognise the importance of farm payments and I believe the ambitious targets set out in the new charter are evidence of my department’s commitment to farmers.”

2023 woes

Farmers’ Charter meetings held last year were met with strong pushback from farmer groups after the Department announced to them that key 2023 scheme payments were to be delayed.

The IFA boycotted these meetings for a period of seven months after the announcement came.

“Last year was the first year of the new CAP and it was a significant undertaking for all involved,” Minister McConalogue commented.

“There was a lot of work for farmers, their advisers and my own department in administering new schemes in the first year.

“There were strong outcomes last year with a lot of good work done to ensure that a very high percentage of farmers were paid on the dates that were set out at the start of the year for scheme payments.”

The minister stated that €1.8bn was paid out to farmers in the last three months of 2023 and that Ireland ranks among the best member states for getting payments out to farmers’ accounts as early as is permitted.

“I am confident that this will continue to be the case,” he said.

ACRES payments

Minister McConalogue recognised that the first year of the Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES) had witnessed “difficulties” which he remains “committed to ensuring are addressed” for year two of the scheme.

Flat-rate payments issued to thousands of ACRES farmers hit with advance 2023 payment delays earlier this year and, in some cases, this interim payment was worth more than their overall payment amount for the year.

The minister has suggested that there will be “flexibility” from the Department in recouping these overpaid funds from farmers.

He has previously stated that the excess payments will be sliced from farmers’ Basic Income Support for Sustainability Scheme payments in 2024.

“While there is an obligation on the Department to make recoupments in the cases of any overpayment arising from interim payments at the first opportunity, I have asked my department to engage positively with any farmer that contacts them and show flexibility in cases of financial hardship,” he explained.

“Further details of how farmers can contact the Department to request this flexibility will be notified to farmers in the near future.”

New monitoring committee

A charter monitoring committee has been established to keep watch on the targets and standards agreed, with its membership split between farm organisations and Department staff.

Dr Seán Brady was appointed by Minister McConalogue as its independent chair and the appointment was backed by all six farm organisations sitting around the charter's table.

“His expertise and knowledge are of huge benefit to all parties and I am grateful for his participation,” the minister said.