Funding for the Protein Aid Scheme, which is financed under Pillar I, will increase by €4m to €7m, with €35m allocated over the five-year lifetime of the next RDP.

The increased funding is targeted at increasing the area sown to protein crops and in turn help to reduce Ireland’s reliance on imported protein feed ingredients.

The range of eligible crops will also be expanded beyond the current position of beans, peas and lupins, with beans accounting for in excess of 90% of crops grown in recent years.

Payment rates per hectare depend on total area applied for in the scheme and are forecast to be in the region of €320/ha in 2021.

Straw incorporation

The recently introduced Straw Incorporation Measure also becomes a permanent fixture, with funding of €50m or €10?m/annum allocated. The scheme, which focuses on improving organic matter levels and retaining carbon on tillage ground, received almost 2,000 applications in 2021 and is expected to deliver an average payment in excess of €4,000/farmer this year.