It is estimated that about 80,000 acres of arable land will be set aside each year in Ireland under the Common Agricultural Policy Reform agreement. Producers will be compensated for set aside at the rate of £39.54 per tonne multiplied by historical average yields, differentiated where appropriate by production regions.
The regional yields are subject to approval by the EC Commission and it is not possible at this stage to state precisely what rate per acre will be approved for Ireland. However, based on statistical data available it is estimated that, on average, farmers will receive about £96 per acre.