The Farmland All Ireland Pollinator Plan 2015-2020 was launched at the Ploughing. The plan is supported by over 80 Government and non-governmental organisations in an island-wide approach to tackle the growing decline of pollinators.
Most insect pollination carried out in Ireland is done so by bees. In Ireland, there is one species of managed honeybee and a further 97 species of wild bees. Bees are important for the pollination of oilseed rape, peas, beans, apples and soft fruit. They are also responsible for the pollination of some wildflowers and trees.
The bee population is declining and not just in this country. This plan outlines five main actions that farmers can undertake to help pollinators:
Maintaining native flowering hedges.Allowing wildflowers to grow around the farm.Providing nesting places for wild bees.Minimising artificial fertiliser use.Reducing pesticide inputs.The plan is not asking farmers to dramatically change the way that they farm, but to make small changes that could have a beneficial impact on their overall farm.
There will be a more detailed look at the pollinator plan over the coming weeks.
Commonage deadline
Farmers yet to submit their GLAS III commonage management plans (CMP) have until 31 October to do so. The original deadline had to be extended for farmers to submit both a CMP and a commonage farm plan (CFP), due to the Department finalising the development of an online system where advisers could upload and submit plans. The plans are to ensure that commonage lands are appropriately grazed and managed to ensure they remain in good agricultural and environmental condition and are compliant with eligibility criteria.
For commonages of less than 10ha, each shareholder on the commonage must submit a CFP, covering their individual activity on the commonage. For larger commonages of over 10ha, a single CMP will need to be submitted. However, it requires all GLAS participants in the commonage plan to be involved.
The Farmland All Ireland Pollinator Plan 2015-2020 was launched at the Ploughing. The plan is supported by over 80 Government and non-governmental organisations in an island-wide approach to tackle the growing decline of pollinators.
Most insect pollination carried out in Ireland is done so by bees. In Ireland, there is one species of managed honeybee and a further 97 species of wild bees. Bees are important for the pollination of oilseed rape, peas, beans, apples and soft fruit. They are also responsible for the pollination of some wildflowers and trees.
The bee population is declining and not just in this country. This plan outlines five main actions that farmers can undertake to help pollinators:
Maintaining native flowering hedges.Allowing wildflowers to grow around the farm.Providing nesting places for wild bees.Minimising artificial fertiliser use.Reducing pesticide inputs.The plan is not asking farmers to dramatically change the way that they farm, but to make small changes that could have a beneficial impact on their overall farm.
There will be a more detailed look at the pollinator plan over the coming weeks.
Commonage deadline
Farmers yet to submit their GLAS III commonage management plans (CMP) have until 31 October to do so. The original deadline had to be extended for farmers to submit both a CMP and a commonage farm plan (CFP), due to the Department finalising the development of an online system where advisers could upload and submit plans. The plans are to ensure that commonage lands are appropriately grazed and managed to ensure they remain in good agricultural and environmental condition and are compliant with eligibility criteria.
For commonages of less than 10ha, each shareholder on the commonage must submit a CFP, covering their individual activity on the commonage. For larger commonages of over 10ha, a single CMP will need to be submitted. However, it requires all GLAS participants in the commonage plan to be involved.
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