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Pay day for Inishowen dairy
farmers
16.03.10
INISHOWEN dairy farmers
received a boost yesterday as cheques for nearly
€600 began issuing to them under the Dairy
Compensation Fund.
Minister for Agriculture, Brendan Smith TD, informed
Senator Cecilia Keaveney that further to discussions
at a recent Fianna Fail Agricultural Committee
meeting, payments have now begun.
"A sum in the region of €11.5 million in total is
involved in this scheme which is to assist dairy
farmers overcome difficulties experienced by them
over the past year due to low milk prices," said
Senator Keaveney.
"Minister Smith has to be commended in respect of
the speed with which he has reacted in that EU
member states are to make the payments by the end of
June 2010, and yet he is well ahead of this
deadline." |
The money is to be paid
on a flat rate basis which simplifies the procedure
for both the farmers and the Department. It is a
practical way to deal with this issue. The rate
payable is €590 to each dairy farmer, who produced
milk during the 2008/2009 milk quota year."
The fund is part of a package of measures agreed at
the Council of Agriculture and Fisheries Ministers
to support EU dairy farmers who were severely
affected by the fall in milk prices.
Each member state's share of the EU funds was
established using their milk production in the |
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2008/2009 year with
Ireland receiving €11.5 million from the fund.
Senator Keaveney added: "I know that this will be a
welcome boost for those in the dairy sector and I
recognise that Minister Smith continually battles to
support at national and international level the
needs of our farmers." |
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