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You are > Home > Farmers revolt against REPS cuts
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Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Farmers revolt against REPS cuts
FARMERS THROUGHOUT County Roscommon joined in a major protest at ministerial offices over the weekend to voice their anger at the decision to close the Rural Environment Protection Scheme (REPS).
Farmers claim that the latest cuts will drive them below the poverty line as they face crisis point in terms of income.
Members of Irish Farmers Association took part in a protest at the offices of Minister Michael Finneran and Deputy Peter Kelly on Saturday when over 250 farmers registered their concern. Local members of The Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers Association were also among those holding a sit down demonstration outside the Department of Agriculture in Dublin on Monday.
Local IFA members have indicated that the farming community are set to revolt against Minister Smith’s lack of support and understanding for the dire income crisis situation facing tens of thousands of farm families across the country.
Bernard Donohue, Chairman, Roscommon IFA County Executive, said that Minister Smith and his Department are in denial about the impact the cuts will have on the agricultural sector. “Minister Smith’s decision to close the REPS scheme and further cut the disadvantaged areas supports is the last straw for the hard pressed farming sector.
These decisions will drive the incomes of thousands of farm families below €5 an hour and well below the poverty line and are in stark contrast to the quoted hourly rates enjoyed by other sectors.
“The inequity of these Government decisions is creating a totally elitist society where the producers of food are compelled to operate in one of the most costly and bureaucratic economies in the world,” said Mr Donohue.
Mr Donohue said that REPS rewarded farmers for operating a more environmentally sustainable manner and society will pay a big price for the scheme’s abolition. “Minister Smith’s Green party colleague Trevor Sargent in the Department of Agriculture has turned his back on the principals of his own party in supporting the abolition of REPS, which was essential to achieve his targets for organic farming,” said Mr Donohue.
Mr Donohue said that Minister Smith must immediately support the farming community and reverse these “draconian decisions.”
The REPS scheme has 62,000 members and was worth €8,550 on average to farmers.
It rewarded farmers for environmentally friendly farming and resulted in payments of €3 billion.
The Minister for Agriculture Brendan Smith announced that the scheme would be closed to new entrants and to those completing five-year contracts.
The future of farming is said to be at stake as many farmers may no longer have an income if the scheme is allowed come to an end.
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