Membership Benefits

Exclusive Discounts for ICSA Members 

Join ICSA Today

An Association of Farmers for Farmers

DEPARTMENT MUST REINSTATE TWICE WEEKLY PAYMENT RUNS TO CLEAR BACKLOG

Nov 20, 2019 | Latest News, Press Releases | 0 comments

18 NOVEMBER 2019

ICSA Rural Development chairman Tim Farrell has called on the Department of Agriculture to reinstate twice weekly payment runs while a backlog of payments persists. ICSA understands any farmer awaiting Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) payment, including those who have been cleared for payment, will now receive nothing until 2 December at the earliest.

Commenting, Mr Farrell said, “Since 16 October, there has been two payment runs per week. However, this ended last week with no more payments due to come out until the first week in December. It makes no sense to discontinue twice weekly payment runs, particularly as many of the delays have been caused on the Department side,” he said.

“It’s very unfair on farmers who have had a tough year to be made wait it out for another two weeks. Many are at their wits end with bills to pay and loans to manage. It’s very distressing for farmers to see their credit ratings affected through no fault of their own, and this will cause on-going problems. It’s bad enough having to wait for your payment to clear but having to wait for two weeks after you’ve been cleared is ridiculous. Farmers can’t afford to be held up like this.”

ENDS

Share Socially