Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 8 March 2022
750. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the manner in which farmers can identify if the holding is within the boundaries for the cooperative projects of the agri-environment cooperative measure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12552/22]
View answerFarmers in all areas of the country will be able to participate in the proposed new agri-environment climate measure (AECM) under the next CAP Strategic Plan. The new AECM Scheme will have a General stream and a Co-Operation stream. Farmers within certain defined high priority geographical areas will be eligible to apply to join the AECM Co-operation stream.
The map for the Co-Operation stream of the new AECM scheme identifies eight Co-Operation zones. Development of the map and selection of the areas for the Co-operation stream involved identifying particular lands throughout the country based on a number of criteria such as SACs, SPAs, and breeding hen harrier regions amongst others.
The Co-Operation map published on my Department’s website does not identify holdings at townland or farm level. Work is ongoing in my Department on the development and rollout of the AECM to enable a farmer or advisor to communicate with the Department’s ICT systems, and to be directed to either the Co-Operation stream or the General stream of the AECM depending on the location of their farm.
Until this detailed work is completed, it is not possible to communicate definitively to a farmer or their advisor whether a particular farm is within the CP zone. This development work is a priority and the portal will open as soon as practicable.
