10th November 2001

REPS

Preliminary analysis of the latest National Farm Survey (NFS) highlights once again the environmental and economic benefits of REPS. Family farm income on REPS farms in 2000 was £322/ha compared with £303/ha on comparable non-REPS extensive farms and £628/ha on non-REPS intensive farms. The corresponding income figures for 1999 were £271/ha, £218/ha and £553/ha respectively. The figures reflect the recovery in income after the poor performance in 1999. However, the income gap between the REPS and extensive non-REPS farms narrowed considerably.

Stocking rates fell marginally across all categories in 2000. REPS farmers had a higher stocking rate (1.35 LU/ha) than the non-REPS extensive farmers (1.24 LU/ha) but much lower than the intensive category (2.4 LU/ha). Chemical nitrogen (N) usage on REPS farms at 69 kg/ha fell by 8kg in 2000. It was unchanged on non-REPS extensive farms at 98 kg/ha. While the non-REPS intensive farmers reduced N usage to 221 kg/ha, a reduction of 26 kg/ha, it was still higher than the 215 kg/ha used in 1998.

REPS farmers used 5 kg/ha less chemical phosphorus (P) than non-REPS extensive farmers. P usage on the non-REPS extensive and intensive farms was static at 13.1 kg/ha and 16.7 kg/ha, respectively. Expenditure on fertilizers was £43/ha, £61/ha and £120/ha for REPS farms, non-REPS extensive and non-REPS intensive farms respectively. The REPS farms used significantly less fertilizers while supporting higher stocking rates than their non-REPS extensive counterparts with added environmental benefit.

There are significant overhead and maintenance costs associated with REPS. Farm buildings and pollution control are at the top of the agenda while land maintenance including stock-proofing of farm boundaries, fencing of watercourses and maintenance of watercourses are also significant. Farm building investment including maintenance amounted to £45/ha on REPS farms in 2000 compared with £39/ha and £66/ha on non- REPS extensive and intensive farms, respectively. The figures represent a gradual decline in investment compared with the two previous years except for a very significant decline (30%) in the case of the non-REPS intensive farms.

Investment in land improvement/maintenance was highest on REPS farms at £10/ha compared with £7/ha in each of the other two categories. The 1999 levels were £8/ha, £5/ha and £11/ha respectively. This represents an increase over the 1999 levels for the REPS and non-REPS extensive categories and a major decline on the intensive farms. Machinery investment was £37/ha, £45/ha and £77/ha for the three survey categories, respectively.