A commitment from Minister of State, Malcom Noonan, that he will push for a dedicated nature fund to finance biodiversity measures under a proposed EU nature law did little to settle farmers’ angst at an IFA meeting last Wednesday.

Farmers voiced serious concerns on the impact that the proposed Nature Restoration Law will have on their property rights and ability to actively farm peat soils.

Many farmers present claimed to have been unaware of the extent of the rewetting and restoration law, as well as the speed at which it is expected to be introduced. The European Commission is aiming for the law to be brought into force in 2024.

Funding streams

Minister Noonan told farmers he is seeking dedicated EU and national funding streams to back farmers carrying out measures to ensure the State complies with the nature law.

There is currently no funding stream identified to finance these proposals, as Brussels wants to use already-allocated CAP and environmental funds.

Measures will also be voluntary, with Government committed to arguing for the maximum flexibility possible to set targets and enact the law, the minister claimed.

IFA environment chair Paul O’Brien warned of an “Eircode lottery” determining farmers’ futures.

“If you are farming a certain type of land, a certain type of soil, then at some stage you are going to be asked or encouraged – with what seems like very little new funding – to be discouraged from your agricultural production,” O’Brien said.

Re-look needed

The environment chair stated that the proposals are not acceptable to farmers in their current form, and that a complete re-look is needed.

Co Offaly dairy farmer Ferghal Sullivan echoed the views of many present in arguing that the lack of a long-term compensation commitment makes the proposal unacceptable to farmers, giving the example of the milk output he would lose if his Special Areas of Conservation (SAC) land is affected.

“I don’t think the Department or anyone in the EU is going to compensate that money year-on-year in my lifetime if that land is taken out of production.”