The European Commission approved Ireland’s €9.78bn CAP strategic plan for the years 2023-2027 on Wednesday.
The Department of Agriculture’s plan was among the first seven plans granted the green light by the Brussels, as only three months remain until the plan’s new schemes come into force.
The plan will see €7.5bn of EU funding along with an additional €2.3bn of exchequer funding going to the sector over the next five years.
The Irish Farmers Journal understands that the Department sees itself as having successfully defended the draft plan it sent to the Commission in December of last year and does not see changes made to the plan as overly significant.
Comments made by European Commissioner for Agriculture Janusz Wojciechowski suggest that Ireland has allocated the highest proportion of regional development funds of any of the plans approved so far to climate and environmental measures.
Some 67% of such funds will go to environmental measures under the Department’s plan in the next CAP.
Changes to draft plan
Changes were made by the Department to some eco-scheme requirements, the dairy calf-beef welfare scheme and the definition of an eligible hectare for the draft plan to pass.
The GPS spreading fertiliser, multispecies sward establishment and extensive livestock grazing measures in the eco-scheme have been tightened.
The area of non-productive features that a parcel can contain while remaining fully eligible for payment was increased from 30% to 50% under the updated plan.
It is also understood that the dairy calf to beef welfare scheme will be funded at national level, rather than from EU funding streams.
Clarification
Clarification was also provided to the Commission stating that land can be transferred out of the Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES) or the Organic Farming Scheme and into forestry without penalty applied to payments made under these schemes.
It was also agreed that any hedgerows or trees planted as part of ACRES or an eco-scheme will not count towards the non-productive feature requirement
The requirements for hedgerow removal were also expanded, with farmers needing to establish twice the existing length of hedge before they can commence works on taking one out.
Read more
Eco scheme requirements tightened
Huge variation in farm output compared to direct payments
More farm certification needed in CAP schemes - EU report
Payment rates for ACRES revealed
The European Commission approved Ireland’s €9.78bn CAP strategic plan for the years 2023-2027 on Wednesday.
The Department of Agriculture’s plan was among the first seven plans granted the green light by the Brussels, as only three months remain until the plan’s new schemes come into force.
The plan will see €7.5bn of EU funding along with an additional €2.3bn of exchequer funding going to the sector over the next five years.
The Irish Farmers Journal understands that the Department sees itself as having successfully defended the draft plan it sent to the Commission in December of last year and does not see changes made to the plan as overly significant.
Comments made by European Commissioner for Agriculture Janusz Wojciechowski suggest that Ireland has allocated the highest proportion of regional development funds of any of the plans approved so far to climate and environmental measures.
Some 67% of such funds will go to environmental measures under the Department’s plan in the next CAP.
Changes to draft plan
Changes were made by the Department to some eco-scheme requirements, the dairy calf-beef welfare scheme and the definition of an eligible hectare for the draft plan to pass.
The GPS spreading fertiliser, multispecies sward establishment and extensive livestock grazing measures in the eco-scheme have been tightened.
The area of non-productive features that a parcel can contain while remaining fully eligible for payment was increased from 30% to 50% under the updated plan.
It is also understood that the dairy calf to beef welfare scheme will be funded at national level, rather than from EU funding streams.
Clarification
Clarification was also provided to the Commission stating that land can be transferred out of the Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES) or the Organic Farming Scheme and into forestry without penalty applied to payments made under these schemes.
It was also agreed that any hedgerows or trees planted as part of ACRES or an eco-scheme will not count towards the non-productive feature requirement
The requirements for hedgerow removal were also expanded, with farmers needing to establish twice the existing length of hedge before they can commence works on taking one out.
Read more
Eco scheme requirements tightened
Huge variation in farm output compared to direct payments
More farm certification needed in CAP schemes - EU report
Payment rates for ACRES revealed
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