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Agri-environmental schemes have formed a significant part of farmers’ incomes since the introduction of REPS in 1994 up to the introduction of GLAS.
At the Irish Farmers Journal farming debate, Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil and Sinn Féin were asked what scheme they would introduce if elected.
Climate
Fianna Fáil spokesperson for agriculture Charlie McConalogue said many farm families had not recovered from the difference in the payment levels between REPS and GLAS.
“The fact that agriculture will be able to do more for climate change is a rational vehicle for bringing additional funding into the sector,” he said.
McConalogue said consultation would be critical to ensure the scheme delivered on its objectives but was also practical for farmers. He said the payment had to be closer to REPS but deliver on climate change objectives.
Flagship
Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed said he envisaged it as the flagship scheme under the rural development programme that would deliver support to the livestock sector.
“It would be a hybrid of previous environmental schemes, particularly REPS, but bringing the best of the BDGP experience in terms of improvement on genetics and taking account our overall climate journey.”
He said it would deliver a quantifiable outcome for the environment and a substantial income support for farmers in the beef, suckler and sheep sectors. Minister Creed said it would be an alternative to a coupled payment for sucklers.
Pilot
Sinn Féin’s Matt Carthy said any scheme needed to deliver money to farmers’ pockets who were working towards becoming more efficient and environmentally sustainable.
Carthy said he wanted mechanisms to encourage good aspects that were already happening on farms, particularly in relation to carbon sequestration.
Minister Creed challenged Carthy on a proposal in the Sinn Féin manifesto to pay €300 per week to 300 farmers on the Farm Assist scheme under an agri-environmental scheme.
Carthy responded by saying it was a pilot scheme that had been proposed by agriculture students.
“We’ve engaged with [the students] on an ongoing basis to try and ensure that we can develop an agricultural system that is sustainable in terms of the environment but also in terms of income streams.”
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