Irish Farmers' Association (IFA) national farm forestry chair Jason Fleming said that an increase in forestry premium rates leaves legacy issues that need to be addressed if planting targets are to be met.

However, the increase in premiums in the new forestry scheme of between 46% and 66% is a positive development, he said.

“I would like to acknowledge the work of Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture Pippa Hackett in securing a forestry package of in excess €1.3bn for the new the forestry programme that sees forest premium payments increase by between 46% and 66%, while the duration of premium payments will increase to 20 years for farmers,” Fleming said.

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Premium rates

Under the new forestry programme, the premium payment rates and duration have increased, Fleming said, offering farmers the potential of earning a premium payment of up to €1,142/ha for 20 years, depending on the forest type planted.

Farmers who plant a mixed conifer forest will be paid €746/ha for 20 years, an increase from €51.

This is the equivalent of a payment of just under €15,000/ha.

Farmers who plant an agro-forestry type forest will earn €975/ha for 10 years. This is an increase from €645.

The programme offers farmers greater diversity, with several new forest categories added, including forests for water, emergent forests, seed orchards and continuous cover forestry, Fleming argued.

“The increases in the forest premium payments, as well as the extension of the premium payment to 20 years, will certainly encourage more farmers to look at forestry as an option on their farm,” he added.

But he stressed that increased premiums alone would not be enough and that the minister needed to continue to work with farmers to restore confidence, particularly around ash dieback and the licensing system.