Laois farmers get more than €20 million in support schemes

More than €21 million has been paid to thousands of Laois farmers under two schemes to date in 2023 with more on the way to bank accounts.

The payments are under the Basic Income Support for Sustainability (BISS) and Complementary Redistribution of Income Support for Sustainability (CRISS) according to figures provided by the Department of Agriculture.

The total national and Laois payments were revealed on December 4 when the Minister for Agriculture confirmed that the balancing payments under the 2023 schemes had commenced on the same day.

BISS is a direct income support to farmers, while CRISS is a measure designed to progress a fairer distribution of payments.

The Department says the commencing of the balancing payments would bring the total paid under the 2023 Scheme to €749 million with 113,911 farmers in receipt of a payment under this scheme.

It said €264 million would be issued to farmers from December 4 in the form of balancing payments.

Before the balancing payments were made, a total of 2,647 Laois farmers had shared out €21,194,915.53 in payments.

“Payments will be visible in farmers’ bank accounts in the coming days and the department will continue to process, as a matter of urgency, all remaining cases for payment as any outstanding queries are addressed,” said the Minister who urged farmers who have outstanding queries to contact the Department as soon as possible.