Major concerns over new Green Cert requirement for Direct payments – Hopkins

General election candidate for the Roscommon-Galway constituency Maura Hopkins has said that The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine’s confirmation that 2015 applicants for the National Reserve Scheme (NR) and Young Farmer Scheme (YFS) will need to enroll in a Green Cert, or equivalent programme before the end of 2015 to fulfill the scheme conditions is a major concern for affected farmers.

This requirement affects scheme applicants who have not already obtained the required agricultural qualification, or who have not already commenced an approved agricultural course.

Councillor Hopkins has said that she welcomes the fact that The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine  is issuing letters  to YFS/NR scheme applicants advising them of the immediate need to contact their education provider in regard to their education requirement. She also welcomed the announcement that Teagasc’s college network and Advisory Regions are arranging course commencement sessions for mid-December.

She advises each 2015 YFS/NR scheme applicant that has not yet started or completed the requisite courses to contact Teagasc or their preferred education provider to ensure they enrol on a course before the end of December.

“I am delighted Teagasc locally in Roscommon and across the region have been able to increase teacher numbers and provide additional courses and that Mountbellew Agricultural College has also been able to recruit additional teachers and provide additional courses, but it is vitally important that each YFS/NR scheme applicant affected by this change is accommodated to ensure they are eligible to receive their payment.

“I have received a number of calls from concerned farmers who had planned to commence their courses in 2016. Every effort must be made to ensure this problem does not overly inconvenience farmers who had planned to carry out the majority of their training late in 2016 and 2017 and that accommodation is also made for young farmers who may struggle with course fees.

“Many of these young farmers established their businesses in 2015 and others have been building their businesses in recent years so this cohort of farmers are under immense financial pressure.

“They need these payments as soon as possible”.