ICMSA hit out at flaws in Fuel Support Scheme
It is regrettable, but it is a fact that the Fuel Support Scheme has been unable to register the fact of the far higher fuel usage required on farms over the busy March to July period, The President of the ICMSA Denis Drennan remarked last week.
“The case that the ICMSA is making is that the fuel scheme is ‘flat’ and based on five-twelfths of total fuel usage for the year. But the reality is that diesel usage on farms is much higher during the March to July period, and that should have been ‘weighted’ along the lines of, say, eight-twelfths of the total annual usage to reflect the much heavier outlay usage and much heavier financial outlay during this period” he said.
“Fuel usage is always considerably higher from March to July, particularly with silage, slurry spreading and other essential farm activities going on. We think that this has not been recognised and that, essentially, lower fuel usage during the ‘shoulder’ months of the year is artificially pushing down the average figure for the March to July period” he continued.
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Macra president call for unspent farmer supports
Food security was also at at the fore in the mind of the President of Macra na Feirme Josephine O’Neill last week when she said that any previously-committed funding to support farmers ought to be utilised to aid them through the current fuel crisis.
Farmers are again confronted with significant financial pressures because of the huge rises in fertiliser and fuel prices coupled with an emerging fodder shortage created by the recent dry spell. There is a particular need for the government to respond quickly to provide supports ahead of the autumn planting season and winter housing period.
“These challenges cannot be addressed without adequate financial backing from the government” she said.”Farmers are under increasing pressure from multiple fronts, with soaring input costs and prolonged dry weather placing enormous strain on farm businesses, yet funding already identified for the sector is sitting unused. The government must act quickly by keeping this money within the Department of Agriculture and directing it towards the issues that are having the greatest impact on farm families today” she said.The youth farming organisation is very glad of the announcement of a fertiliser-support package from the European Commission which is expected to provide around €15.3-million in funding but it is vital that the government also develops an overall support package that will provide up to €46-million to keep food production flowing. The supports must be delivered directly to the farmers in a targeted approach towards relieving these still-rising costs and other market disruptions.
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