Advance payments under the eco-scheme, worth €206 million, are underway, the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine announced today (Monday, October 21).
According to Minister Charlie McConalogue 110,450 farmers will receive advance payments under the scheme.
“Eco-scheme payments are a vital support for farmers and the payment rate in 2024 will be €66.50 per eligible hectare.
“The €206 million payment made today, which is €22 million more than in the advance payment in 2023, builds on the Basic Income Support for Sustainability (BISS) advance payment last week to over 110,000 farmers meaning that total advance payments on BISS, Complementary Redistributive Income Support for Sustainability (CRISS) and eco-scheme over the last week amounts to over €712 million,” Minister McConalogue added.
Eco-scheme
To qualify for the eco-scheme payment, farmers have to undertake specific agricultural practices on their farms.
The eco-scheme has eight agricultural practices to choose from and three of these practices also have an enhanced option.
According to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) the aim of the eco-scheme is to “reward farmers, from all farming sectors and from different levels of intensity, for undertaking actions that are beneficial to the climate, environment, water quality and biodiversity”.
Minister McConalogue said: “I know how important these payments are and have been steadfast in my resolve to ensure that all scheme payments issue to farmers in the most efficient and timely manner possible.
“I am therefore pleased that with 94% of all 2024 eco-scheme eligible applicants being paid today, the department is meeting its commitment under the Farmers’ Charter to pay 90% of eligible applicants.”
According to the minister the eco-scheme advance payments starting today at are at a rate of 70% – which is the same rate it was paid at in 2023.
“Payments will be visible in farmers’ bank accounts in the coming days and the department will continue to process, all remaining cases for payment as they meet scheme criteria.
“I would however urge any farmers with outstanding requests for documentation from my department, to return them to allow payments to issue as soon as possible,” he added.
Minister McConalogue also detailed that advance payments under the 2024 Areas of Natural Constraints Scheme (ANC) which started last month and 2024 BISS payments that began last week are continuing “as more cases are cleared for payment”.