Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed has called for a change to the definition of an eligible hectare under the next Basic Payment Scheme.

“We want to see a definition that encourages farmers to retain non-productive green features,” he told EU farm ministers recently.

Environment

The minister did not define what these features might include, but the Irish Farmers Journal understands this to mean the potential inclusion of areas which have a value in terms of the environment and biodiversity.

This could include areas such as habitats, scrub, permanent wet areas and mature heather and rushes.

“IFA is of the view that farmers should never be penalised on areas that they maintain for biodiversity and environmental reasons,” an IFA spokesperson said.

Pat McCormack of the ICMSA said; “If in the future they talk about keeping back from watercourses, those buffer zones need to be included in eligible land for BPS payments. Farm roadways need to be included too in the definition”.

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Creed calls for change to eligible hectare definition

Ireland wants to see a change to the definition of an eligible hectare, Minister Creed has said.