|
Speculation is mounting that an announcement on the new agri-environment
package will be made over the next week.
Department of Agriculture officials are to meet with representatives
of the farm organisations on Thursday (25th Feb) to discuss
the issue and it has been suggested that the scheme could
be launched soon after.
While final details of the scheme to replace REPS are in
the process of being cleared, Department officials have refused
to make any comment on the controversial initiative.
However, it has emerged that the menu of measures available
to farmers has been reduced from 20 to 16. One of the measures
which failed to make the new scheme is mixed grazing, despite
more than 3,000 farmers adopting it for REPS 4.
The list of those measures available includes water-trough
installation, traditional hay meadows, species rich grasslands,
Special Areas of Conservation (SACs), tree planting, hedgerow
planting and trailing shoe use when spreading slurry.
Other available measures are stone-wall maintenance, rare
breeds, linnet crops and conservation of wild birds.
However, farm bodies have complained that it is still unclear
how much money will be paid for each specific measure or how
many measures farmers can adopt. The only figures confirmed
by the Department are the overall budget of €50m and the maximum
payment to individual applicants of €5,000.
IFA president John Bryan said the 10,000 farmers leaving
REPS 3 before May expect Agriculture Minister Brendan Smith
to deliver a meaningful new scheme, which delivers an average
payment of at least €5,000.
Mr Bryan pointed out that with the middle of May deadline
looming for the Single Farm Payment, the details of the new
scheme must be put in front of farmers.
Meanwhile, IFA rural development chairman, Tom Turley, has
slammed the slow delivery of REPS 4 payments. He said 13,000
farmers have yet to be paid, with up to 60pc of applicants
still waiting on payments in some counties. Mr Turley called
on Minister Smith to set a deadline of the first week in March
to have all farmers paid.
Source - The Irish Independent
|
