Farmers attending an Irish Farmers' Association (IFA) meeting on EU proposals to introduce a nature restoration law in 2024 vented fury at the pace and scale of rewetting plans they fear will affect their farms.
The nature law was put forward by the European Commission last year, with the aim of giving legal footing to its target to have biodiversity measures in place across 20% of all of the EU by 2030, with higher targets for 2040 and 2050.
The restoration of drained, farmed peatlands is a key area where the proposed law is set to have an impact on Ireland.
Many farmers present cited concerns around land ownership rights, the cost burden of nature restoration measures and the overall lack of clarity on what the measures will mean for farmers on the ground.
Under fire
Minister of State Malcom Noonan came under fire when the floor was opened to questions, despite his assurance that any actions taken under the law will be voluntary.
“The impact of any measures on the landowners’ ability to continue economic use of the land will be considered as part of the nature restoration plan,” the minister said.
“It is really important to flag at this stage that measures will be voluntary and well-resourced.”
Minister Malcom Noonan addressed the meeting virtually.
Minister Noonan told farmers that the final position Ireland will take on the proposals has yet to be finalised, but Government has been pushing for as much flexibility as possible in negotiations.
This is to allow Ireland to “determine at a national level the interpretation, application and implementation of the targets and measures” contained in the law.
He also recognised farmers’ concerns on the lack of clarity on how much farmland will be affected by measures such as rewetting.
‘Hurtling’ towards farmers
IFA environment chair Paul O’Brien warned farmers that the law is “coming down like a train hurtling down out of control”.
“We are dealing in telephone numbers of land here. The hectares needed is a telephone number figure, it is a serious request of farmers,” O’Brien said.
“However, some of the proposals under the nature restoration are effectively an Eircode lottery.
“If you a 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 discourage from your agricultural production.”
'Very worried'
Proposing to pass the law before impact assessment can determine the number of farmers affected by rewetting or the funds its roll-out will cost is like “building a house you can’t afford”, according to IFA Leinster regional chair Francie Gorman.
“Once it goes down on paper as a proposal, you have to be very, very worried about it. Because the change you get out of those proposals in future negotiations are slim, little or none.”
Gorman suggested that the last CAP reform has led to distrust between farmers and policymakers that will extend to the biodiversity law.
“It was divide and conquer. East against west. It was beef against dairy. It was big against small.”
Read more
MEP group rejects EU rewetting and pesticide plans
Greens demand Irish MEPs back EU rewetting and pesticide laws
Tensions flare amid push to double rewetting targets
Farmers attending an Irish Farmers' Association (IFA) meeting on EU proposals to introduce a nature restoration law in 2024 vented fury at the pace and scale of rewetting plans they fear will affect their farms.
The nature law was put forward by the European Commission last year, with the aim of giving legal footing to its target to have biodiversity measures in place across 20% of all of the EU by 2030, with higher targets for 2040 and 2050.
The restoration of drained, farmed peatlands is a key area where the proposed law is set to have an impact on Ireland.
Many farmers present cited concerns around land ownership rights, the cost burden of nature restoration measures and the overall lack of clarity on what the measures will mean for farmers on the ground.
Under fire
Minister of State Malcom Noonan came under fire when the floor was opened to questions, despite his assurance that any actions taken under the law will be voluntary.
“The impact of any measures on the landowners’ ability to continue economic use of the land will be considered as part of the nature restoration plan,” the minister said.
“It is really important to flag at this stage that measures will be voluntary and well-resourced.”
Minister Malcom Noonan addressed the meeting virtually.
Minister Noonan told farmers that the final position Ireland will take on the proposals has yet to be finalised, but Government has been pushing for as much flexibility as possible in negotiations.
This is to allow Ireland to “determine at a national level the interpretation, application and implementation of the targets and measures” contained in the law.
He also recognised farmers’ concerns on the lack of clarity on how much farmland will be affected by measures such as rewetting.
‘Hurtling’ towards farmers
IFA environment chair Paul O’Brien warned farmers that the law is “coming down like a train hurtling down out of control”.
“We are dealing in telephone numbers of land here. The hectares needed is a telephone number figure, it is a serious request of farmers,” O’Brien said.
“However, some of the proposals under the nature restoration are effectively an Eircode lottery.
“If you a 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 discourage from your agricultural production.”
'Very worried'
Proposing to pass the law before impact assessment can determine the number of farmers affected by rewetting or the funds its roll-out will cost is like “building a house you can’t afford”, according to IFA Leinster regional chair Francie Gorman.
“Once it goes down on paper as a proposal, you have to be very, very worried about it. Because the change you get out of those proposals in future negotiations are slim, little or none.”
Gorman suggested that the last CAP reform has led to distrust between farmers and policymakers that will extend to the biodiversity law.
“It was divide and conquer. East against west. It was beef against dairy. It was big against small.”
Read more
MEP group rejects EU rewetting and pesticide plans
Greens demand Irish MEPs back EU rewetting and pesticide laws
Tensions flare amid push to double rewetting targets
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