IFA Call For Immediate Re-opening of AEOS Scheme

IFA President John Bryan has called for the immediate opening of the AEOS scheme to allow farmers assess the scheme well in advance of the Single Farm Payment application deadline of mid-May.

He said the commitment given in last year’s Budget was that 10,000 farmers would be allowed into the AEOS in 2011. This number of farmers is broadly in line with the number completing their REPS3 contracts by the mid-May date.

The IFA President said the AEOS is vital for those farmers who have committed to the agri-environmental programme over many years, and the measures they take on add greatly to the environment and the landscape.

He said, “It is important that the new Minister for Agriculture Simon Coveney indicates a start-up date as soon as possible. Last year farmers and planners were only given six weeks to apply, and given the workload in making Single Farm Payment and AEOS applications, some farmers did not get into the Scheme last year.”