The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue, T.D., has announced that payments worth just under €182 million are being issued to almost 85,000 farmers under the Areas of Natural Constraint (ANC) scheme.
Over €16million is being paid to farmers in Donegal, with a total of 8,684 farmers in the county being eligible and 78% of those now paid. Donegal will receive the third highest share of the funds this year.
The payments currently issuing are an 85% advance payment on the ANC Scheme. 15% balancing payments are due to commence in early December. In line with previous years, not all applications are currently cleared for payment under the ANC Scheme.
The Minister commented today: “I am delighted to announce that payments totalling €182m have issued to almost 85,000 farmers in the first tranche of advance payments under the ANC scheme. This is in line with previous years.
“I am conscious of the importance of the timely delivery of payments under the ANC scheme. The ANC scheme is a crucial one for so many farm families and I was keen to issue payments as soon as possible. These payments represent a timely and significant financial boost for farmers and for the wider rural economy. The issuing of these payments in mid-September underscores my determination to maximise payments to farmers at the earliest possible time.”
The Minister continued by saying “Payments will be visible in farmers’ bank accounts in the coming days and the Department will continue to process, as a matter of urgency, all remaining cases for payment as they meet scheme criteria.”
Minister McConalogue also confirmed that arrangements are being made by the Department to facilitate payment of the advance of 70% under the Basic Payment Scheme with effect from 18th October 2021.
