Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon is to engage with EU officials in a bid to allow farmers with Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES) geese and swan forage areas to cut fodder on these lands to fill on-farm fodder shortages.

The minister is to look for ACRES farmers who are tight on fodder to be permitted to preserve fodder on these lands, while still receiving payment for the action under CAP force majeure criteria.

Fodder cut for sale would not be covered by the change and farmers intending on utilising the force majeure will need to notify the Department of Agriculture before doing so.

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The decision to pursue a force majeure route rather than updating the CAP strategic plan was taken by Minister Heydon to avoid undertaking a formal process that could span several months.

“On this basis I do not propose amending the basic requirements associated with this action at present,” the minister told the Irish Farmers Journal.

Support to individual farmers

“However, to support any individual farmers who believe that they need the forage from the areas on their farm covered by this measure to feed their own livestock, I intend to engage with the European Commission to determine that if such usage would mean the ACRES action is not delivered, this can be covered by EU force majeure provisions," he said.

“Any such force majeure would only apply at an individual farm level in respect of that farm's own forage needs. It would not apply to the export of forage harvested from the geese and swans action areas on those farms."

Interested farmers should email geese&swans@agriculture.gov.ie with their herd number.