O’Neill Announces An Additional Year Of LFACA Support

Agriculture Minister Michelle O’Neill MLA today announced her plans to fund a further year of the Less Favoured Areas Compensatory Allowance (LFACA) Scheme in 2015.

The Minister said: “I am aware that the LFACA scheme is an important component of current support payments to farm businesses. Farmers in our most constrained areas form a key part of our rural communities, as well as being custodians of our unique landscape, yet they face many challenges.dn_screen

“I believe it is very important to provide continuity to farmers wherever possible. Using the Transitional Regulation to provide a further year of this long standing scheme will provide some stability for farmers as we make the transition to the new support arrangements under CAP reform.”

The Minister added: “Looking forward, I am considering future support arrangements for our constrained areas as part of the Direct Payments Consultation. This is an important issue to local farmers and I will carefully consider all the responses received before reaching my decision.”

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