Deputy president of the Irish Farmers' Association (IFA) Alice Doyle has hit out at the Department of Agriculture’s “top-down” approach to rolling out the Climate Action Plan’s target to reduce the management intensity of 80,000ha of grassland on drained peat soils.
This week’s Irish Farmers Journal reveals that the Department convened a “closed, invite-only workshop” on implementing the target last Thursday in Portlaoise, but is understood not to have invited farming organisations.
Doyle stated that the discussions of reducing management intensity across 80,000ha of agricultural land are “concerning”.
The agenda of last week’s Portlaoise meeting suggests that rewetting, fertiliser cuts, lower stocking rates and ceasing the cleaning of existing drains fall under the catch-all heading of reduced management intensity.
'Not the way to go'
“Let’s be very clear: driving ahead without any agreement with those who represent farmers is not the way to go,” she said.
The deputy IFA leader highlighted repeated signals from both Government and the European Commission that co-operation and engagement will form the basis of discussions of the future of land use.
“The idea that a roundtable would convene and those who own nearly 80% of the land in the country would not be present flies in the face of what farmers have been told would happen.
“Farmers’ annoyance and frustration about being continually told what they can or cannot do with their own land is increasing, despite soft talk about simplification and reducing red tape,” she added.
Doyle concluded by stating that the Department must open up about its plans on meeting the 80,000ha peat soils target.
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State push to rewet land
Farmers could be paid lump sums to rewet land
Deputy president of the Irish Farmers' Association (IFA) Alice Doyle has hit out at the Department of Agriculture’s “top-down” approach to rolling out the Climate Action Plan’s target to reduce the management intensity of 80,000ha of grassland on drained peat soils.
This week’s Irish Farmers Journal reveals that the Department convened a “closed, invite-only workshop” on implementing the target last Thursday in Portlaoise, but is understood not to have invited farming organisations.
Doyle stated that the discussions of reducing management intensity across 80,000ha of agricultural land are “concerning”.
The agenda of last week’s Portlaoise meeting suggests that rewetting, fertiliser cuts, lower stocking rates and ceasing the cleaning of existing drains fall under the catch-all heading of reduced management intensity.
'Not the way to go'
“Let’s be very clear: driving ahead without any agreement with those who represent farmers is not the way to go,” she said.
The deputy IFA leader highlighted repeated signals from both Government and the European Commission that co-operation and engagement will form the basis of discussions of the future of land use.
“The idea that a roundtable would convene and those who own nearly 80% of the land in the country would not be present flies in the face of what farmers have been told would happen.
“Farmers’ annoyance and frustration about being continually told what they can or cannot do with their own land is increasing, despite soft talk about simplification and reducing red tape,” she added.
Doyle concluded by stating that the Department must open up about its plans on meeting the 80,000ha peat soils target.
Read more
State push to rewet land
Farmers could be paid lump sums to rewet land
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