The Citizen’s Assembly will vote this week on a further proposed 17 recommendations for the farming sector.
These recommendations are in addition to a range of measures the assembly voted on in November.
Among the proposed recommendations to be voted on is that the current State policy on the management of biodiversity on agricultural lands is not sufficient and requires a fundamental review.
It will also vote on whether biodiversity targets in schemes such as ACRES should be made significantly more ambitious and that agri-environmental schemes must be available to all farmers with commensurate funding.
Promotion
The assembly will vote on a recommendation that Bord Bia must significantly increase the promotion of the organic farming sector in Ireland and that “people must be encouraged to consume a more plant-based diet”.
Adapting the Green Cert to reflect sustainable farming and better labeling of food are two other recommendations it will decide upon.
On peatlands, it will vote on a recommendation which would see the full implementation of the cessation of turf-cutting on protected areas and that the remits of Bord na Móna and Coillte would be reviewed to include a focus on peatland restoration and rehabilitation.
Other recommendations
The State must ensure its afforestation strategy is not negatively impacting on biodiversity by establishing an effective monitoring system for the forestry programme.A new national strategy for the protection, maintenance, restoration and expansion of Ireland’s network of hedgerows must be developed urgently.Forests currently planted and those already felled on boglands are a significant and historic problem. The State should remedy this issue promptly and on a significant scale.
The Citizen’s Assembly will vote this week on a further proposed 17 recommendations for the farming sector.
These recommendations are in addition to a range of measures the assembly voted on in November.
Among the proposed recommendations to be voted on is that the current State policy on the management of biodiversity on agricultural lands is not sufficient and requires a fundamental review.
It will also vote on whether biodiversity targets in schemes such as ACRES should be made significantly more ambitious and that agri-environmental schemes must be available to all farmers with commensurate funding.
Promotion
The assembly will vote on a recommendation that Bord Bia must significantly increase the promotion of the organic farming sector in Ireland and that “people must be encouraged to consume a more plant-based diet”.
Adapting the Green Cert to reflect sustainable farming and better labeling of food are two other recommendations it will decide upon.
On peatlands, it will vote on a recommendation which would see the full implementation of the cessation of turf-cutting on protected areas and that the remits of Bord na Móna and Coillte would be reviewed to include a focus on peatland restoration and rehabilitation.
Other recommendations
The State must ensure its afforestation strategy is not negatively impacting on biodiversity by establishing an effective monitoring system for the forestry programme.A new national strategy for the protection, maintenance, restoration and expansion of Ireland’s network of hedgerows must be developed urgently.Forests currently planted and those already felled on boglands are a significant and historic problem. The State should remedy this issue promptly and on a significant scale. 
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