Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Chairman for the opportunity to speak and I welcome the delegation. The nub of the issue relates to farmers with under 20 ha. The European Union made a ruling that what it terms double payment cannot be made for the same piece of ground. The Department clearly made its decision on that. The problem is that a farmer who was in the organic scheme when GLAS was initiated could get €5,000 in a GLAS payment. In the case of an organic farmer with 15 ha, 16 ha or 17 ha, it was more attractive to go into GLAS than to stay in the organic scheme because there was approximately €3,000 of a difference. We give out about the prices arising from doing nutrient management plans with GLAS and all that but €1,000 or €1,100 would get a farmer through the lot. Meanwhile the certification costs for a small farmer to stay in the organic scheme are totally out of order.

In fairness, I have met this and other organic farmer groups previously. I spoke with them even before the Government talks. I remember speaking with the Minister, Deputy Coveney, and it was included in the programme for Government that we would seek to amend the rural development plan to allow a greater payment per hectare for the first 10 ha for organic producers. It would bring a balance to the process and there would not be a flight of farmers. There are farmers with 60 ha but there are more smaller farmers with 10 ha, 15 ha or 20 ha around Ireland and especially the west than there are fellows with 60 ha or 70 ha. It was agreed within the programme for Government negotiations that there was a problem and if we are to stay in organic farming, it must be addressed. That is the total issue. Bord Bia was the delegation's preferred choice rather than having a crowd of bodies doing what is necessary. If Bord Bia personnel were doing quality assurance on a farm, they could do everything else and the farmers would be finished with it rather than having 40 different fellows coming out.

I am considering the appeals process at present. A new basic payments scheme appeals committee has been set up but no notice of it was given. I only heard about it in the past week. It appears one cannot go to the courts with a decision from that committee. I do not know if it makes the old appeals office redundant. A statutory instrument is supposed to be brought in every year - this was done in 2015 - setting out the schemes the appeals office covered. As far as I can see, none was published last year. The witnesses mentioned the Labour Court. Currently there are guys involved in appeals about the agri-environment option scheme who have gone a year or two payment periods without receiving anything. What is going on around the country in that regard is disgraceful.

We have talked about this process before, particularly in the lamb sector. Let us call a spade a spade. With the distance they go and without much promotion, farmers in the organic sector still have to sell cattle in the same mart as the farmer down the road. Unless we get more serious, the smaller farmers will leave. Ultimately, it is money that counts for a farmer. If a farmer can get €5,000 in GLAS but €1,800 in the organic scheme, with its associated fees, the farmer will go for the scheme that will produce most money. Generally, the bigger operators get into the organic scheme and fall out after one round. We have many smaller farmers who are committed to the organic scheme because they believe in it. They have been in the scheme for years and want to stay in it. Unfortunately, with the current system, if a farmer has under 20 ha - approximately 17 ha or 18 ha is the cut-off - it is like we are telling them to get out of it.