There have been massive changes in peat production over the past number of years and farmers who have land bordering Bord na Móna bogs are worried about the future, IFA deputy president Brian Rushe told the Irish Farmers Journal.
“We can’t have a situation where Bord na Móna block up their drains and rewet the bogs leading to farmland becoming flooded,” he said.
The comments come as the Irish Farmers Journal revealed the Department of Agriculture is poised to launch a new peatland rewetting scheme in the coming months.
Rushe explained: “The worry comes from the uncertainty of what will happen if the board decides to rewet these bogs.
“Farmers and Bord na Móna have worked side by side for years maintaining drainage systems and if these systems aren’t maintained, farmland will flood.”
These are good productive farmers and it’s in their best interest to ensure the drainage systems in place are maintained
The IFA has called for a meeting with Bord na Móna to ensure farmers are consulted on any decision relating to rewetting.
“There has been a good relationship between farmers and Bord na Móna in the past, but a change in policy and introduction of rewetting will be a real threat to farmland.
“I visited farmers in Offaly and they are well aware of the threat bog rewetting poses to their farms. These are good productive farmers and it’s in their best interest to ensure the drainage systems in place are maintained.”
Payment for rewetting
The Department has estimated that there are approximately 300,000ha of drained carbon-rich soils used for agriculture in Ireland, the majority of which is used for grazing cattle.
Suggestions have been made that payments for such a rewetting measure could be similar to those received by farmers in GLAS who take part in the low-input permanent pasture and traditional hay meadow actions.
The scheme is to be funded under the Rural Development Programme.
Read more
New scheme to pay farmers to re-wet peatland this year
Dutch farmers paid to rewet peat soils
Bord na Móna suspends peat harvesting to begin bog restoration
There have been massive changes in peat production over the past number of years and farmers who have land bordering Bord na Móna bogs are worried about the future, IFA deputy president Brian Rushe told the Irish Farmers Journal.
“We can’t have a situation where Bord na Móna block up their drains and rewet the bogs leading to farmland becoming flooded,” he said.
The comments come as the Irish Farmers Journal revealed the Department of Agriculture is poised to launch a new peatland rewetting scheme in the coming months.
Rushe explained: “The worry comes from the uncertainty of what will happen if the board decides to rewet these bogs.
“Farmers and Bord na Móna have worked side by side for years maintaining drainage systems and if these systems aren’t maintained, farmland will flood.”
These are good productive farmers and it’s in their best interest to ensure the drainage systems in place are maintained
The IFA has called for a meeting with Bord na Móna to ensure farmers are consulted on any decision relating to rewetting.
“There has been a good relationship between farmers and Bord na Móna in the past, but a change in policy and introduction of rewetting will be a real threat to farmland.
“I visited farmers in Offaly and they are well aware of the threat bog rewetting poses to their farms. These are good productive farmers and it’s in their best interest to ensure the drainage systems in place are maintained.”
Payment for rewetting
The Department has estimated that there are approximately 300,000ha of drained carbon-rich soils used for agriculture in Ireland, the majority of which is used for grazing cattle.
Suggestions have been made that payments for such a rewetting measure could be similar to those received by farmers in GLAS who take part in the low-input permanent pasture and traditional hay meadow actions.
The scheme is to be funded under the Rural Development Programme.
Read more
New scheme to pay farmers to re-wet peatland this year
Dutch farmers paid to rewet peat soils
Bord na Móna suspends peat harvesting to begin bog restoration
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