#IslandNews - Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Simon Coveney has announced that payments for island farmers under the new Areas of Natural Constraints (ANC) Scheme have started issuing.
“I am particularly pleased to see that these payments, worth some €1 million, are issuing on target, particularly given the significance of these payments to individual island farmers," said the minister, who previously announced the designation of offshore islands in May 2015 as Areas of Specific Constraint under the new Areas of Natural Constraints (ANC) Scheme, which replaced the Disadvantaged Areas Scheme.
The scheme is co-funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD).
“I am delighted that these payments have commenced to issue given the challenges island farmers face on a daily basis, particularly in view of the difficult weather conditions they have encountered during recent months," said Minister Coveney.
"Island farming is difficult in the best of years and the objectives of this aid is to maintain agricultural production in these areas, to provide a boost to the economic activity on the islands, and to deliver environmental benefits such as the preservation of their unique habitats."
The minister confirmed that payments will continue to issue as individual cases are confirmed eligible for payment in the coming weeks.