Some €5m has been allocated by Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue and Minister for land use and biodiversity Senator Pippa Hackett to the launch of a pilot farm environmental study (FES), which will target 6,500 farms.

This pilot will establish a framework to generate a database of baseline habitat and biodiversity data at farm level and will provide the scope for an inventory of farm habitats and biodiversity present and a baseline for future targeting of agri-environmental schemes and measures.

The FES adviser training module is set to commence shortly and the measure will open to farmers in quarter one of 2022.

Farm surveys will be carried out over the spring and summer 2022.

Greater awareness

This new level of biodiversity data will provide the farmer with greater awareness of the biodiversity potential on their lands and help them tailor their management practices to help farm with nature in mind.

Minister McConalogue said: “I am really excited about bringing forward this new pilot FES. I believe it is the launch pad for a whole new and untapped potential for Irish agriculture.

Having a baseline knowledge of the biodiversity resources we have on our farms is essential

"Having a baseline knowledge of the biodiversity resources we have on our farms is essential going forward. In order to tackle the challenges of the future, we first must know the potential of the present and the FES is central to this new era we are facing into.

"I look forward to seeing the final result of what FES will deliver for our farms and farmers.”

'Crisis'

Minister Pippa Hackett also welcomed the pilot measure and said that we are living in the middle of a biodiversity crisis and establishing a database of the biodiversity features and habitats present at the farm level must be a priority.

"The delivery of FES will allow great strides to be made in tailoring farm-specific management practices with benefits to both the farmer and the environment.

"Farmers are the caretakers of biodiversity in agriculture, and this farm-scale approach will educate and empower farmers, building on their knowledge of their own land in order to maximise delivery of environmental and economic benefits at a national scale,” she said.

President of the Agricultural Consultants Association (ACA) Tom Canning said: “[The] ACA and its members are delighted to be part of this important pilot study, which will be valuable for the future of the agricultural sector. "

Canning said they are confident that there are environmental assets currently in Ireland and, once recorded, will greatly assist towards our commitments to both our national and EU responsibilities under climate change and related policies.