IFA Deputy President Richard Kennedy made it abundantly clear to Chairman Sean Brady and the Department of Agriculture that all payments due now must be paid on time and in line with the deadlines set down in the Charter of Rights.
Speaking at a Charter of Rights meeting in the Midlands recently, Mr. Kennedy warned that with the severe income crisis at farm level, payment delays would not be tolerated.
He said: “Farmers are expecting to receive a full 70% advance payment on their BPS and Greening on Monday, October 17th. IFA lobbied hard and secured a higher level of advance payment this year on the back of the farm income crisis. In addition, more farmers should be paid on the first day given the significant increase in the number of online applications and the pre-checking of files in June this year.”
Mr. Kennedy told the Charter Monitoring Committee that the Department service to farmers with queries and problems must meet the commitments in the Customer Charter, where calls are returned within 24 hours and problems identified and resolved quickly.
