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Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue published the Action Plan for implementation by the Department of Agriculture in 2022 on Thursday.
While many of the 130 projects and initiatives listed for the Department to deliver in 2022 have already commenced and may be familiar to readers, there are a number of items in the plan which are likely to be new to many.
In the last quarter of 2022, the Department plans to put in place primary legislation for fertiliser and develop a “fertiliser register”. It is understood the move will provide greater oversight of the supply and use of fertiliser products in Ireland.
It will also roll-over schemes including for soil sampling, straw incorporation and the Farm Environmental Study (FES)
On tillage, the Department says it will conclude consultation on the potential viability of growing fibre crops such as hemp by the end of the year. It will also roll-over schemes including for soil sampling, straw incorporation and the Farm Environmental Study (FES).
Commission approval
On the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), the Department aims to secure European Commission approval of Ireland’s draft CAP Strategic Plan in the second half of the year. It says it will design, develop and build the new schemes to be rolled out in this new CAP, with the first scheme due to open in autumn 2022.
The Department’s plans include a commitment to “communicate with our farmer customers and other stakeholders on what they need to know now to prepare them for the new CAP measures in 2023.”
The Department will develop a number of new plans, some of which will follow the formation and work of specialty groups and forums.
The recently formed Organic Forum will develop a new action plan to complement the National Organic Strategy. For forestry, a plan will be developed and implemented to enhance regulatory processes, systems and structures.
Forums
Specific sectoral groups will also be formed to advance Food Vision 2030 actions. These groups will be tasked with developing plans to manage agriculture’s sustainable environmental footprint similar to the recently published report from the Food Vision Dairy Group.
The focus of our work is building a resilient, exciting and futureproofed sector for our farmers, fishers and producers
The plans for permanent import controls infrastructure in Rosslare Port will also be progressed, in collaboration with other departments and agencies.
Commenting on the Action Plan, the minister said: “The actions range from plans to progress Food Vision 2030, implement the new CAP Strategic Plan and to deliver on our commitments in the forestry and marine sectors.
“The focus of our work is building a resilient, exciting and futureproofed sector for our farmers, fishers and producers as well as the wider general public.”
The Agriculture, Food and the Marine Action Plan 2022 is available here.
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