Almost 700 Westmeath farmers affected by closure of REPS scheme

Last week"s announcement that the government is to close an environmental protection scheme to new applicants has come as a major blow to nearly 700 farmers in Westmeath. Agriculture Minister Brendan Smith announced the closure of the Rural Environmental Protection Scheme (REPS) to new applicants on Thursday last - a move which was described by the Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers" Association (ICSA) as 'another nail in the coffin of farmers.' The scheme has been in place in various guises over the years, the most recent of which is REPS 4. A total of 249 farmers in Westmeath and 255 in Roscommon already have five-year REPS 4 contracts and they will continue to receive payments until their contracts expire. In addition, applications sent in by farmers before last week"s announcement will continue to be processed as normal. However last week"s announcement means that no further applications for REPS 4 will be accepted - a move the Department said would primarily affect farmers in REPS 3 with contracts ending in 2010 and 2011. There are 693 farmers in this position in Westmeath, while 1,001 Roscommon farmers have REPS 3 contracts ending in 2010 or 2011. 'Although REPS 4 is now closed to new entrants, those who are coming to the end of their five year contracts will, from 2010, be eligible for a new agri-environment scheme,' Minister Smith said last week. 'Contrary to some misinformed commentary, REPS is not being abolished and payments will remain for the next five years.' The new agri-environment scheme mentioned by the Minister is due to be funded by Modulation and the European Economic Recovery Programme (EERP), and it must first be approved by the European Commission. In recent days the Irish Farmers Association (IFA) organised protests against the REPS 4 announcement outside government offices. On Monday, IFA president Padraig Walshe said the anger being felt by farmers was growing by the day. 'This is the third time that Government has attacked farm income in the past 9 months and 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,' he said. In addition, the ICSA said the decision would cause many to question their future in farming. 'It would seem the government thinks there is no limit to the amount of pain farmers can take,' said ICSA rural development chairman Gabriel Gilmartin. 'Family farm income has already dropped 13.7% in 2008 and this news on top of all the other budget cuts that farmers have had to endure is another devastating blow.'