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Agriculture Schemes

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 9 December 2021

Thursday, 9 December 2021

Questions (45)

Éamon Ó Cuív

Question:

45. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the way the new payment for ecological work out of pillar one funds will be calculated for each farmer; if the payment will have a relationship to the entitlements held by farmers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60443/21]

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Written answers

We are proposing a single Eco-Scheme, that will reward farmers for undertaking actions beneficial to the climate, biodiversity, water quality and the environment. The Eco-Scheme will be delivered in accordance with Article 31 (7) (b) of the new CAP Strategic Plan Regulation and will be based on income foregone and costs incurred.

This scheme will be implemented annually and will be open to all active farmers, allowing them to opt in or out on an annual basis and also to change their selected agricultural practices from year to year if they so wish. Farmers will have to take two agricultural practices from the current list of eight to receive their full Eco payment.

Following a deep and meaningful engagement with farmers and their representatives, I am proposing the following the following list agricultural practices in the Eco-schemes:

1. Space for Nature – at least 7% of a farmer’s holding must be devoted to biodiversity, habitats or landscape features, building on the 4% requirement for all farmers already set under GAEC 8 as part of Conditionality. Where the farmer commits to at least 10%, this counts as two actions for Eco,

2. Extensive Livestock Production

3. Limiting Chemical Nitrogen Usage,

4. Planting of Native Trees and hedges – the commitment here is to plant 3 native trees per eligible hectare or 1 metre of hedgerow. Where a farmer commits to plant double that (6 native trees or 2 metres of hedgerow per eligible hectare), that will count as two Eco actions,

5. Use of a GPS-controlled fertiliser spreader and or GPS spreader,

6. Soil Sampling and Appropriate Liming on all eligible hectares,

7. Enhanced Crop Diversification – where a farmer has a crop diversification requirement, s/he can plant a break crop (beans, peas, oilseed rape or oats) on at least 25% of their arable area, and

8. Sowing of a Multi Species Sward

The Eco-scheme is not related to BPS entitlements held. Active farmers who participate in the Eco-scheme will receive payment on eligible hectares claimed.

Farmers with no entitlements or a lesser number of entitlements than the number of eligible hectares they claim can still apply for and receive support under Eco-Schemes on all their eligible hectares.

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