A total of 119,375 applications were submitted under the 2019 Areas of Natural Constraints Scheme, of which a total of 103,904 currently hold eligible land. Not all these applicants will be due to receive payments. For example, many will make on-farm decisions in relation to their stocking rates over the course of the year which will impact on their eligibility for payment. Some will only become eligible for payment later in the year.
Following the changes to the scheme introduced in the 2019 scheme year, the previous categories of land have been amended as follows. Mountain type land is now Category 1 land, more severely handicapped land is now Category 2 land, and less severely handicapped land is now Category 3 land. Separately, the island land category remains in place with no change.
The following table provides a breakdown of the number of applicants that have declared land under Category 1,2 and 3 and under the Island Farming Scheme.
|
Number of applicants who have ANC Category 1 land
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Number of applicants who have ANC Category 2 land
|
Number of applicants who have ANC Category 3 land
|
Number of applicants who have Island land
|
|
32,480
|
59,349
|
28,130
|
938
|
Please note that the above table displays a count of all applicants to have declared land in each category. An applicant may have declared land in more than 1 category and will be included in the total number of applicants under each category of land for which they have declared.
The payment rate for each ANC category is set out in the scheme terms and conditions as follows:
|
Land Category
|
Area
|
2019 Rate
|
|
Category 1
|
1st 12ha
|
€148
|
|
Category 1
|
13- 34 ha
|
€112
|
|
Category 2
|
1st 10 ha
|
€111
|
|
Category 2
|
11 - 30 ha
|
€104
|
|
Category 3
|
1st 8 ha
|
€93
|
|
Category 3
|
0 - 30 ha
|
€88.25
|
The payment rate for the island category of land are also set out in the scheme terms and conditions as follows:
|
Area Designation
|
Payment Rates
|
|
|
Areas of Specific Constraints (Island Farming)
|
€250
|
Up to and including the first 20 hectares of Areas of Specific Constraints or part thereof
|
|
Areas of Specific Constraints (Island Farming)
|
€170
|
Greater than 20 hectares or less than or equal to 34 hectares of Areas of Specific Constraints
|
|
Areas of Specific Constraints (Island Farming)
|
€70
|
Greater than 34 hectares or less than or equal to 40 hectares of Areas of Specific Constraints
|
I am conscious of the many challenges currently faced by farmers and, with this in mind, in Budget 2019 I secured additional funding of €23 million to bring the overall annual budget for the 2019 ANC scheme up to €250 million. The allocation for ANC in Budget 2020 is maintained at €250 million.
