Some 670 farmers have expressed interest in the Hen Harrier Programme since it opened on 8 December.
This is more than half the target number of 1,100 to 1,200 participants expected for the €25m scheme, project manager Fergal Monaghan told the Irish Farmers Journal, and applications are continuing to flow in.
“We are delighted with this level of response and would hope to build on this interest as we approve applicants into the programme,” Monaghan said. His team is training a first group of 80 advisers in Athlone and Limerick this week and next.
“Places were booked out in 24 hours,” Monaghan said.
Farmers must hire an approved adviser, sign a contract with the programme team and draw up a farm plan in the coming months before they can begin to claim payments.
Each farmer’s payment will depend on the quality of hen harrier habitat on their land and improvement works they undertake.
There are an estimated 4,000 farmers in hen harrier-designated areas.