Written Answers Nos. 766-780
766. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide details on the funding levels in Budget 2023 for organic schemes, including a comparison with funding for those or similar schemes in Budget 2022. [53270/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe current Programme for Government has set an ambitious target to achieve 7.5% of the utilisable agricultural area under organic production, which is also consistent with the target proposed by Food Vision 2030.
There has been a significant increase in the allocation for the Organic Farming Scheme in 2023. Under the new CAP, for the years 2023-2027, I have secured a budget of €256m for the organic sector with the aim of building upon this growth and developing the sector further.
This allocation will facilitate enhanced payment rates, including the introduction of a participation payment for farmers, to support the maintenance and conversion to Organic Farming.
The table below outlines the funding allocated to organic schemes in 2022 vs the indicative funding allocated in 2023. The definitive allocations will be set out in the 2023 Revised Estimates Volume which will be published later this year.
|
Scheme |
2022 |
2023 |
|
Organic Farming Scheme |
€21m |
€34m |
|
TAMS II (incl. Organic Capital Investment Scheme) |
€80m |
€90m |
|
Organic Processing Investment Grant |
€1.2m |
€1.2m |
|
Development of Organic Farming Sector |
€865k |
€1.387m |
I have also secured an increase in the allocation for the development of the Organic Farming Sector in 2023. This funding has been allocated for the promotion and development of the Organic sector in Ireland in line with the anticipated growth in organic farming.
This allocation also includes a subvention payment to the Organic Control Bodies which partially covers the cost of carrying out the annual organic inspections, which is a key regulatory control to maintain the integrity of the organic system.
767. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide an update on the UK-Australia beef trade deal and the effect that it will have on Ireland [53275/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraOn 16th June 2021, the UK and Australian Governments announced that they had reached a political agreement in principle for a new UK-Australia trade agreement. The agreement has not yet been ratified or entered into force.
I note that the agreement provides for significant new market access for Australian goods exports to the UK. This is also the case for the most sensitive agriculture products, including beef and lamb, in respect of which there will be full tariff-free access at the end of 15 years, preceded by significant tariff-free quotas for these products in the interim.
As a large exporter of agri-food products, including to the UK market, the provisions of this new agreement have the potential to create increased competition for Irish exports to the UK, which could result in knock-on impacts on EU markets.
I have been urging the European Commission, including through the EU Agriculture Council of Ministers, to take into account in EU trade policy the development of potential cumulative impacts of these new UK trade agreements.
At the recent Council meeting in Luxembourg, the Commission committed to carrying out an analysis of the potential impacts of the new UK agreements with Australia and New Zealand on EU markets, in particular impacts which could result in the displacement of EU products, including Irish products, from the UK market.
I will assess this Commission analysis when I receive it and it will help to inform any actions we need to take at EU level to address potential negative impacts for EU and Irish producers from new UK third country trade agreements.
We must always ensure that the livelihoods of our own farm families are protected and enhanced.
768. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide an update on the way that Ireland’s agriculture sector will reach it’s emissions reductions goals [53277/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy may be aware, the agriculture sector was assigned a target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 25% by 2030 based on a 2018 baseline of 23MT CO2 eq. This reduction in emissions will contribute to the economy wide reduction of 51% by 2030.
This is an ambitious and challenging target for our sector but one that I believe we can reach with farmers keen to continue to play a real leadership role in the space.
The Climate Action Plan 2021 set out the core and additional measures the sector will pursue to live within its assigned carbon budgets.
Earlier this year, I established two Food Vision groups - a dairy group and a beef and sheep group. The final report from the dairy group is imminent, with the beef and sheep group to conclude in the coming period. The reports will contain a series of recommendations to reduce agricultural greenhouse gases, building on the Climate Action Plan 2021 core and further measures.
The challenge now is to have these measures taken up at farm level, this process is well underway. The Teagasc Signpost farm programme will play a key role in this objective. One of the key measures will be a reduction in chemical nitrogen use, and a change in the type of chemical nitrogen applied. Significant progress has been made in 2022 and this will be positively reflected in the 2022 inventory when published next year.
Other measures include a focus on animal breeding, reduced finishing times for our prime beef animals, and increased levels of organic production. Finally, as is the case for all sectors of the economy, new technologies will be needed in order to bridge the final gap-to- target.
I am confident with appropriate research supports that methane reducing feed additives will be developed and rolled out on farms by 2030.
769. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on a matter (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53315/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI wish to advise the Deputy that my Department does not now, nor has it ever in the past, held human resources or other related records regarding staff members in semi-state bodies, including records relating to their individual terms of employment, be that pay and related aspects, including (but not limited to) redundancy terms or payments.
770. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the grant support for agtech and dairy improvement that will be available in a scheme (details supplied), particularly for equipment which reduces labour and improves farm safety; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53347/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraTAMS has proven itself to be a really important and popular scheme which has driven important farm investments. To date, expenditure under TAMS II has exceeded €377m. Payments under the TAMS II scheme continue to issue on an ongoing basis. TAMS continues to be a hugely successful and beneficial scheme, and I am delighted that it will continue in 2023 in a bigger and better way with a stronger emphasis on environmental investments.
Dairy farmers will continue to be included in TAMS schemes from 2023 onwards. There will also be some changes including a resetting of the investment ceiling to €90,000 and increased grant rates for specified investments that will form part of TAMS. The investment list for grant-aided items is currently being finalised and will be published shortly.
It is also proposed from 2023 onwards to provide grant aid for farm safety investments at the higher grant rate of 60%.
These changes are subject to approval of the Rural Development Plan (RDP) amendment by the European Commission. The amendment is currently with the Monitoring Committee of the RDP for their views before its formal submission to the Commission.
774. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his Department's position on the payments in relation to the basic payment scheme in cases in which land has been leased for the installation of solar panels; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53503/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraSupport under the Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) is payable upon activation of an eligible hectare per payment entitlement.
In general terms, an eligible hectare is one that is used for an agricultural activity or, where the area is also used for a non-agricultural activity, is predominantly used for such activities. An area is predominantly used for agricultural activity, if that activity can be exercised without being significantly hampered by the intensity, nature, duration and timing of the non-agricultural activity.
While cases involving solar panels will be examined on an individual basis, solar panels will be considered as ineligible features within the eligible parcel. In general, parcels or parts of a parcel containing solar panels may be considered eligible, but reductions must be made to the eligible area to take account of the impact of the panels on forage availability. If the effect of the solar panel, including the supporting structures, is to reduce the eligible area by 70% of the parcel or more, then a reduction of 100% is made for the area under the solar panels.
If this is a whole parcel, the parcel is deemed ineligible. If the impact on the eligible area is less than 70% of the parcel area, an appropriate percentage reduction must be made. Appropriate reductions must also be made for other ineligible features within the parcel e.g. scrub, rock or hardcore including roadways.
In all cases, parcels containing solar panels will only be considered eligible where there is evidence that an agricultural activity takes place on the parcel (e.g. grazing with sheep). The solar panels must not hamper the agricultural activity. Such parcels must also comply with relevant Statutory Management Requirements and Good Agricultural and Environmental Condition (GAEC) standards.
With regard to potential impact on BPS entitlements it is important to note that a farmer must use all entitlements every two years. Therefore, any reductions in eligible area arising from the installation of solar panels may impact the number of entitlements held after two years unless the farmer (a) obtains more land (b) leases out his entitlements, or (c) sells the entitlements.
It is also worth noting that all agricultural land used to claim BPS must be owned/leased/rented and used and managed by the applicant.
If the applicant is not the owner of the land, they must have a lease or rental agreement in place with the owner of the land. If a farmer retains ownership of the land, but leases it out to a third party, to install solar panels, the farmer must have a written agreement with the third party, to perform agricultural activities on the parcel concerned, in order for the parcel to be considered eligible.
Such agreements must fulfil the land availability rules set down in the BPS terms and conditions. There must be independent and suitable access for animals for the farming enterprise being conducted. Independent access means access by public or private roadway or by a defined right of way. Access over adjoining landowners land, or over land which is subject to a lease or rental agreement to another person, is not acceptable.
775. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of farmers who have leased land for solar power and continue to draw down a partial basic payment in relation to the leased land; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53504/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraSupport under the Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) is payable upon activation of an eligible hectare per payment entitlement.
In general terms, an eligible hectare is one that is used for an agricultural activity or, where the area is also used for a non-agricultural activity, is predominantly used for such activities. An area is predominantly used for agricultural activity, if that activity can be exercised without being significantly hampered by the intensity, nature, duration and timing of the non-agricultural activity.
While cases involving solar panels will be examined on an individual basis, solar panels will be considered as ineligible features within the eligible parcel. In general, parcels or parts of a parcel containing solar panels may be considered eligible, but reductions must be made to the eligible area to take account of the impact of the panels on forage availability. If the effect of the solar panel, including the supporting structures, is to reduce the eligible area by 70% of the parcel or more, then a reduction of 100% is made for the area under the solar panels.
If this is a whole parcel, the parcel is deemed ineligible. If the impact on the eligible area is less than 70% of the parcel area, an appropriate percentage reduction must be made. Appropriate reductions must also be made for other ineligible features within the parcel e.g. scrub, rock or hardcore including roadways.
In all cases, parcels containing solar panels will only be considered eligible where there is evidence that an agricultural activity takes place on the parcel (e.g. grazing with sheep). The solar panels must not hamper the agricultural activity. Such parcels must also comply with relevant Statutory Management Requirements and Good Agricultural and Environmental Condition (GAEC) standards.
With regard to potential impact on BPS entitlements it is important to note that a farmer must use all entitlements every two years. Therefore, any reductions in eligible area arising from the installation of solar panels may impact the number of entitlements held after two years unless the farmer (a) obtains more land (b) leases out his entitlements, or (c) sells the entitlements.
It is also worth noting that all agricultural land used to claim BPS must be owned/leased/rented and used and managed by the applicant. If the applicant is not the owner of the land, they must have a lease or rental agreement in place with the owner of the land. If a farmer retains ownership of the land, but leases it out to a third party, to install solar panels, the farmer must have a written agreement with the third party, to perform agricultural activities on the parcel concerned, in order for the parcel to be considered eligible.
Such agreements must fulfil the land availability rules set down in the BPS terms and conditions. There must be independent and suitable access for animals for the farming enterprise being conducted. Independent access means access by public or private roadway or by a defined right of way. Access over adjoining landowners land, or over land which is subject to a lease or rental agreement to another person, is not acceptable.
In 2022, eight unique holdings have declared land that contains solar panels. However, it is important to note that the majority of these are very small installations of panels, likely to have been constructed simply to supply power to the agricultural holding. Six of the installations are on lands declared as owned and two rented.
776. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of farmers who have leased land since 2020 and no longer draw down a basic payment in respect of the leased land; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53505/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe information requested is being retrieved and will be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as possible.
777. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the amount allocated to the dairy beef calf programme in 2021-2022; the number of applicants; the number of participants; the average payment by year and by county in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53507/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe objective of the National Dairy-Beef calf programme is to support decision-making on farms through better quality data on herd performance, to increase the economic and environmental efficiency of beef from the dairy herd, and to facilitate further the integration of the dairy and beef sectors by providing support for farmers who are rearing progeny from the dairy herd.
It is exchequer funded and was initiated in 2021 with a budget of €5 million. It was retained in 2022, with a €5 million budget, with payments for the 2022 scheme scheduled to commence in December 2022.
Details of payments made under the 2021 scheme and applications for 2022 are set out in the table below. Note that not all farmers who applied for the scheme subsequently went ahead and weighed their Dairy beef calves for the scheme.
|
County |
2021 Applications |
2021 Participants |
2021 Average Payment |
2022 Applicants |
|
CARLOW |
103 |
81 |
€326 |
152 |
|
CAVAN |
296 |
175 |
€317 |
363 |
|
CLARE |
413 |
335 |
€313 |
444 |
|
CORK |
1566 |
1190 |
€356 |
1797 |
|
DONEGAL |
144 |
101 |
€308 |
182 |
|
DUBLIN |
13 |
10 |
€316 |
16 |
|
GALWAY |
472 |
366 |
€311 |
581 |
|
KERRY |
418 |
326 |
€331 |
521 |
|
KILDARE |
96 |
69 |
€336 |
86 |
|
KILKENNY |
412 |
306 |
€359 |
547 |
|
LAOIS |
255 |
200 |
€353 |
335 |
|
LEITRIM |
56 |
28 |
€299 |
54 |
|
LIMERICK |
556 |
464 |
€357 |
726 |
|
LONGFORD |
315 |
159 |
€287 |
281 |
|
LOUTH |
48 |
36 |
€326 |
67 |
|
MAYO |
232 |
182 |
€305 |
259 |
|
MEATH |
207 |
137 |
€355 |
249 |
|
MONAGHAN |
236 |
156 |
€309 |
316 |
|
OFFALY |
296 |
243 |
€354 |
370 |
|
ROSCOMMON |
192 |
141 |
€307 |
230 |
|
SLIGO |
103 |
73 |
€311 |
80 |
|
TIPPERARY |
830 |
624 |
€365 |
1042 |
|
WATERFORD |
206 |
174 |
€362 |
252 |
|
WESTMEATH |
326 |
137 |
€325 |
370 |
|
WEXFORD |
319 |
244 |
€355 |
358 |
|
WICKLOW |
75 |
58 |
€331 |
92 |
778. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the allocation to beef sustainability schemes in each of the years 2019 to 2023, by scheme and by year in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53508/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe table below details the allocations for specific beef sector schemes from 2019 - 2023. It does not include the exceptional aid schemes in this period €78 million for BEAM (Beef Exceptional Aid Measure) in 2019 and €50 million for the BFP (Beef Finisher Payment scheme) in 2020. It also must be recognised that beef farmers can avail of a range of other schemes under the RDP and the new CAP Strategic Plan.
Beef Schemes overview 2019 – 2023
|
Year |
Scheme |
Budget |
|
2019 |
BEEP Pilot |
€20 million |
|
2019 |
BDGP |
€45 million |
|
2020 |
BEEP-S |
€40 million |
|
2020 |
BDGP |
€45 million |
|
2021 |
BSEP (Beef Sector Efficiency Programme) |
€40 million |
|
2021 |
Dairy beef welfare |
€5 million |
|
2021 |
BGDP roll over |
€40 million |
|
2022 |
BGDP roll over |
€40 million |
|
2022 |
BSEP |
€40 million |
|
2022 |
Dairy Beef Calf Welfare |
€5 million |
|
2023 |
Beef Welfare scheme |
€28 million |
|
2023 |
Dairy Beef Calf Welfare |
€5 million |
|
2023 |
SCEP |
€52 million |
779. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 224 of 12 October 2022, if officials in his Department conducted any tests or examinations in relation to swan mortalities at a location (details supplied) which may provide insight with regard the cause of mortality, other than ruling out avian influenza; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53509/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy may be aware, the swans in question were submitted to my Department under its Avian Influenza (AI) Surveillance Programme, a year-round programme which acts as an early warning system for the presence of AI in our wild bird population. The aim of the programme is to inform the Department’s risk assessment of the threat posed by the AI virus to poultry and captive birds.
It is not within my Department's scope, nor dose it have the available resources, to conduct full Post-Mortem examinations to investigate the ultimate cause of death of all dead wild birds submitted through the AI Surveillance Programme. It is policy within the laboratory that for Avian Influenza suspects, no further work is carried out on a carcass or samples unless requested and until a negative AI result is obtained.
This is a Health & Safety measure for the protection of staff. Positive results are reported to the National Disease Control Centre, positive and negative results are reported to the submitter. In wild birds, where an AI result is negative and there is a high mortality cohort, the Department's laboratories are available to assist on request from the submitting agency.
780. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the extent to which he continues to monitor the needs of the agri-food producing sector, with particular reference to the need to ensure the viability of the family farm; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53533/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department constantly monitors the needs of the agri-food sector. Along with regularly meeting with representatives of the sector, holding formal consultations and attending public forums, we monitor developments in farm incomes, viability, structures, key commodities, food industry trends and other key economic indicators.
My Department prepares and publishes an Annual Review and Outlook (ARO), which provides up-to-date information and statistical analysis from a variety of sources, to give a detailed overview of Ireland’s agri-food sector and an outlook for the future. I will publish the ARO for 2022 shortly.
The Teagasc National Farm Survey (NFS) for 2021, which was released in September, looks at the viability of family farms.
A farm is defined as viable if family labour is remunerated at greater than or equal to the minimum wage and there is sufficient income to provide an additional five per cent return on non-land based assets employed on the farm.
According to the NFS, 42% of farms were viable in 2021. This is the highest proportion of viable farms in the last decade, up from 35% in 2020. A further 31% of farms were considered sustainable due to the presence of an off-farm income source, and 27% were regarded as vulnerable.
There is a strong correlation between viability and system of farming, whether full-time or part-time. Based on the number of hours' work required, about one third of farms are considered full-time farms by Teagasc.
About 90% of dairy farms are considered full-time, while less than 20% of cattle and sheep farms are considered full-time. Full-time farms are often the larger farms with average utilisable agricultural area (U.A.A) of 74 hectares compared to 30 hectares for part-time farms.
According to the NFS, in 80% of farm households either the farmer and/or spouse has an off-farm job and/or other income from pension or social assistance. Therefore, just 20% of farm households rely fully on their farm as their only source of income. In addition, in 2021 Irish farms received an average of €15,033 in Exchequer and EU payments to assist in the viability of their farms.
