Some 4,248 forest owners received their annual forest premium payments this week, amounting to a sum of €15.4m, Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture Andrew Doyle has announced.
These payments are to those forest owners who applied using the paper-based system. Over 6,000 forest owners who had applied for their premiums online, have already received their payments since January 2019.
Commenting on the payments, the Minister added: “My Department is paying out almost €70m in forest premiums to Irish landowners this year, with over 88% going directly to farmers, with an average payment of €3,500/farmer.
“These are a welcome addition to farm incomes, helping to diversify those incomes, and I would encourage all farmers to consider forestry if they wish to avail of this. This is a guaranteed premium for 15 years, with all establishment costs covered, and will complement the existing livestock enterprise on any farm,” he said.
The Minister also advised current forest owners that they may still apply online for their premiums through the IFORIS Internet portal on the Department’s online services website (www.agfood.ie).
In line with the Department’s policy to move schemes and services online, the Department is looking at moving to a fully online system for next year.
“More and more landowners are moving to apply for their premiums online each year. This is because they see benefits, principally that they receive their payment much earlier in the year. We will be making further announcements on plans for next year in the coming months, after reviewing the current system.”
Reconstitution scheme
Minister Doyle also announced introduction of a reconstitution scheme for forest owners whose plantations were affected by the severe drought of 2018.
“I am very aware of the financial hardship experienced by landowners whose trees failed due to the extreme drought of summer 2018. In addition to the measures which I previously announced for these landowners, I am now announcing this reconstitution scheme which offers a tiered payment system for private forest owners who replace those dead trees,” he said.
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Some 4,248 forest owners received their annual forest premium payments this week, amounting to a sum of €15.4m, Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture Andrew Doyle has announced.
These payments are to those forest owners who applied using the paper-based system. Over 6,000 forest owners who had applied for their premiums online, have already received their payments since January 2019.
Commenting on the payments, the Minister added: “My Department is paying out almost €70m in forest premiums to Irish landowners this year, with over 88% going directly to farmers, with an average payment of €3,500/farmer.
“These are a welcome addition to farm incomes, helping to diversify those incomes, and I would encourage all farmers to consider forestry if they wish to avail of this. This is a guaranteed premium for 15 years, with all establishment costs covered, and will complement the existing livestock enterprise on any farm,” he said.
The Minister also advised current forest owners that they may still apply online for their premiums through the IFORIS Internet portal on the Department’s online services website (www.agfood.ie).
In line with the Department’s policy to move schemes and services online, the Department is looking at moving to a fully online system for next year.
“More and more landowners are moving to apply for their premiums online each year. This is because they see benefits, principally that they receive their payment much earlier in the year. We will be making further announcements on plans for next year in the coming months, after reviewing the current system.”
Reconstitution scheme
Minister Doyle also announced introduction of a reconstitution scheme for forest owners whose plantations were affected by the severe drought of 2018.
“I am very aware of the financial hardship experienced by landowners whose trees failed due to the extreme drought of summer 2018. In addition to the measures which I previously announced for these landowners, I am now announcing this reconstitution scheme which offers a tiered payment system for private forest owners who replace those dead trees,” he said.
Read more
New anti-forestry group ‘Save Kerry’ formed
Hogan plants idea of 1ha forestry on farmer's lands in next CAP
The climate actions on the big MACC menu
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