The Department of Agriculture has confirmed to the Irish Farmers Journal that areas included in the geese and swans action in the Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme can also be grazed under force majeure provisions.

Last week’s announcement stated that areas included in the geese and swans action could be harvested to boost winter fodder supplies on a participant’s holding (cannot be sold off-farm) where they needed to boost their own forage supplies. There is also provision to graze these areas to boost a farmer’s own forage needs.

A spokesperson for the Department stated: “Any such force majeure would only apply at an individual farm level in respect of that farm’s own forage needs. Farmers may mow or graze these areas. It would not apply to the export of forage harvested from the geese and swans action areas on those farms. Any farmers who wish to apply for force majeure under these circumstances can notify DAFM at geese&swans@agriculture.gov.ie including their herd number.”

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Important action

The Department has stressed that farmers should only apply for the force majeure where there is a need for the forage growing on these areas.

It explained: “The ACRES geese and swan action is critical to providing a foraging area for migratory, overwintering waterbirds because human disturbance triggers flight-or-fight responses that compromise their survival during critical winter months. If the action requirements are not applied even temporarily birds may be forced to poorer quality habitats and there will be overcrowding of even these areas resulting in less fat deposits for the birds and potentially impacting breeding next spring.

“This could also undermine the positive impact which the measure has had on breeding of these birds in the first three years of ACRES.

“Any proposal to amend in a general manner the current conditions of this measure would require an amendment to Ireland’s CAP Strategic Plan to be approved by European Commission. This process would take several months and given that the fundamental objective of this measure could be impacted by any such flexibility, there is no guarantee that it would be approved.

“On this basis, DAFM is not amending the basic requirements associated with this action at present.

“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, DAFM will engage with the EU Commission to allow that if such usage would mean the ACRES action is not delivered, this can be covered by EU force majeure provisions.”