The final agreements under the second tranche of both the higher and wider levels of the Environmental Farming Scheme (EFS) are being issued to scheme applicants.

In the higher level of EFS, which is predominantly for land in environmentally designated areas, 315 scheme agreements have now been issued by DAERA, with 267 of these accepted by farmers to date.

In April 2018, DAERA received 538 applications to the second tranche of EFS higher level, however only 360 farmers subsequently submitted a site-specific management plan through a third-party environmental planner.

“The remaining applications will receive the offer of an agreement before the end of February, once management plans have been agreed,” a department spokesperson told the Irish Farmers Journal.

EFS wider level is for all types of farmland in NI and 1,620 tranche II scheme agreements have been issued, with 1,479 of these accepted by farmers so far.

There were 1,639 applications to EFS wider level in September 2018 and only nine applicants have withdrawn. The DAERA spokesperson said that remaining applicants will receive scheme agreements in the next few days.

Completing work

Scheme agreements for both higher and wider levels in the second tranche of EFS have a start date of 1 January 2019.

Most work under EFS wider level needs to be completed by 1 June 2019. Measures that involve stock-proof fencing must meet certain criteria to be eligible for grant funding – for example, posts need to have a 15-year manufacturer’s guarantee. Prices for these posts generally start from £2.50 (plus VAT) per post.

Fencing contractors are charging up to £6/m for supplying materials and erecting a fence – it is equivalent to the full grant under EFS.

With claims made in the 2019 single application and payments to be expected towards the end of the year, there will be a significant financial outlay for some scheme participants.

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Payment rates unchanged for EFS

Increased uptake of EFS wider level