Only 8% of farmers would consider rewetting or rewilding some of their farmland, while two-thirds of farmers would never consider the idea, according to the findings of a survey conducted by the Irish Natura and Hill Farmers Association (INHFA).

The rewetting of drained peatlands is the area of the proposals reported to have attained the greatest levels of awareness among farmers.

“The high level of opposition outlined in this survey is something our public representatives need to take on board, because this is not going away,” the group’s president Vincent Roddy said.

One in six unaware

However, of the almost 500 INHFA members who responded to the survey, one in every six are still unaware of the proposed EU nature restoration law.

Roddy said this finding “confirms the need for us all to do more in order to reach those that are unaware of this law” and that it would suggest that overall opposition to the measures contained in the law are higher than the survey suggests.

Eight out of 10 farmers were also against to the idea of using CAP funds to pay for nature restoration measures, as is proposed in the law.

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Farmers are becoming aware of the EU’s proposed nature restoration law, an INHFA survey has found.