Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue has announced that €7m has been made available by his Department to fund a new Agri-Environment Training Scheme (AETS) before the introduction of the new CAP in 2023.
The one-day training scheme will seek to train farmers in implementing environmentally-friendly farming practices, encourage participation in agri-environmental schemes and promote farm health and safety.
Farmers who satisfactorily complete the training day will receive €156 in payment, while the advisers approved by the Department to undertake the training will get €90 per eligible participant.
“I am delighted to be opening this AETS, as it will make available easily accessible information to farmers and increase their awareness and understanding of current issues,” said Minister McConalogue at the scheme’s launch.
The Department has laid out the eligibility condition that all training courses must include:
An update on environmental issues.An overview of the lessons learned from GLAS.Information on key ecological concepts, such as the preservation of wildlife habitats.Explanation of ecological scoring and results-based schemes.Health and safety awareness information.Equipping farmers for the next CAP
“The one-day course will provide farmers with information on a range of topics, including environmental issues, lessons learnt from participation in the most recent agri-environment scheme, the concept of results-based agri-environment measures, and farm health and safety standards,” Minister McConalogue added.
“It’s part of our development of the next CAP and ensures that farmers are well placed to get the most from the range of environmental schemes starting next year,” he added.
Attendance will be voluntary and the Department has stated that attendance will not be required as a condition for entry into any of the other schemes.
The scheme is set to open to all farmers in receipt of a basic payment under the BPS and the farmer cannot nominate someone to attend the course in their place, the Department said.
“We must take every opportunity to get the message of safety first on to farms and this scheme provides the opportunity to do that in a real-world setting,” commented Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture Martin Heydon.
Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue has announced that €7m has been made available by his Department to fund a new Agri-Environment Training Scheme (AETS) before the introduction of the new CAP in 2023.
The one-day training scheme will seek to train farmers in implementing environmentally-friendly farming practices, encourage participation in agri-environmental schemes and promote farm health and safety.
Farmers who satisfactorily complete the training day will receive €156 in payment, while the advisers approved by the Department to undertake the training will get €90 per eligible participant.
“I am delighted to be opening this AETS, as it will make available easily accessible information to farmers and increase their awareness and understanding of current issues,” said Minister McConalogue at the scheme’s launch.
The Department has laid out the eligibility condition that all training courses must include:
An update on environmental issues.An overview of the lessons learned from GLAS.Information on key ecological concepts, such as the preservation of wildlife habitats.Explanation of ecological scoring and results-based schemes.Health and safety awareness information.Equipping farmers for the next CAP
“The one-day course will provide farmers with information on a range of topics, including environmental issues, lessons learnt from participation in the most recent agri-environment scheme, the concept of results-based agri-environment measures, and farm health and safety standards,” Minister McConalogue added.
“It’s part of our development of the next CAP and ensures that farmers are well placed to get the most from the range of environmental schemes starting next year,” he added.
Attendance will be voluntary and the Department has stated that attendance will not be required as a condition for entry into any of the other schemes.
The scheme is set to open to all farmers in receipt of a basic payment under the BPS and the farmer cannot nominate someone to attend the course in their place, the Department said.
“We must take every opportunity to get the message of safety first on to farms and this scheme provides the opportunity to do that in a real-world setting,” commented Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture Martin Heydon.
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