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The Department of Agriculture has received more than 1,000 responses to its public consultation on the development of the hotly anticipated new REPS scheme, Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue has confirmed.
The announcement came while speaking in the Dáil on Wednesday. Minister McConalogue renewed Departments calls for farmers to return their views.
“I encourage all farmers to engage and give their views so we can help inform the nature of the scheme and ensure that it is as practical as possible for farmers to implement.
“The consultation will also be key to ensuring that we retain output while achieving the environmental objectives of the scheme.”
Environmental delivery
The scheme is expected to open to applications from a limited group of farmers sometime between April and June this year on a pilot basis.
Farmers will be scored and paid based on the environmental good delivered on land included in the scheme, not just a payment for carrying out actions off a set menu of options.
Payments will be linked to an overall score. The higher it is, the higher the payment.
Submissions concerning the design and implementation of the pilot can be made here.
The closing date for the receipt of views is Friday 26 February.
SHARING OPTIONS: