The Minister for Agriculture, Food, Fisheries and the Marine, Martin Heydon has told Agriland that he understands that “inspections can come at the wrong time” and that he has asked his inspectors to do these “on a case by case basis” following Storm Éowyn.
Minister Heydon said: “I am acutely aware at times of huge pressure like in a storm or the aftermath of the storm where we have farmers without power and are trying to tend to livestock, have cows and ewe going to calf very soon and are trying to milk cows – inspections can come at the wrong time and put a farmer who’s under pressure, under even more pressure that is not what we want”.
Because of Storm Éowyn the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) took the decision to suspend all on-farm inspections last Friday (January 24).
Minister Heydon said that while he had spoken to his officials in the department on the issue of inspections he was also aware that there are some farmers “who need inspections to go ahead so they can receive their payments”.
“It is a balancing act, I don’t want a flat blanket ban on all inspections because that will delay payments for certain farmers and that’s the last thing we want to do.
“I’ve asked my inspectors to do it on a case by case basis – obviously to recognise if the farmer they contact is without power and isn’t up for an inspection then that will be ok.
“But that judgment will be taken on a case by case basis, ” the minister added.
Minister Heydon
Speaking to Agriland after visiting farms in Co. Leitrim that had been impacted by Storm Éowyn, Minister Heydon, said there are some young farmer inspections which are primarily a “desktop at a kitchen table during the day” process and he said those young farmers “would want to get that payment”.
He said where farmers are happy for inspections to continue they will do so.
Minister Heydon added: “Obviously we’re taking a very pragmatic approach and I’m really determined that we have a very compassionate approach to inspections.
“We an EU requirement, we handle €2 billion of EU funds and we have to be able to account and audit for them obviously, but we can do that in a way that puts the farmer at the heart of it and that will be a key determination for me in my time in the department.”
IFA
Meanwhile the president of the Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA), Francie Gorman said the organisation has raised a number of issues with Minister Heydon during their first formal meeting at DAFM offices in Kildare Street, Dublin.
Gorman said these included the challenges faced by farmers as a result of Storm Éowyn, the Mercosur trade deal and the retention of the nitrates derogation.
According to the IFA president concerns around Good Agricultural and Environmental Conditions (GAEC 2) tillage payments, TB and the Agri Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES) were also discussed.
Gorman said: “Obviously, moving from the minister of state role to full minister is a step up, but he has the advantage of an understanding of the issues that he’s facing.
“The Programme for Government would appear to signal a re-set of the approach to farming, and we will be engaging with the government to make sure the policy direction is practical and works for farmers”.