Farmers were urged to check the ‘space for nature’ estimates applied to their holdings before making their Basic Income Support Scheme (BISS) application.

Speaking at a CAP meeting in Westport, Co Mayo, on Wednesday night, Department of Agriculture staff said the space for nature figures applied to individual farms could be at variance with the facts on the ground and needed to be checked by the farmer or his/her planner.

However, while Department staff said 100% accuracy was always desirable, they insisted that farmers should not be overly concerned or worried with small inaccuracies.

ADVERTISEMENT

CAP clinic

More than 80 farmers showed up for the CAP clinic in the Knockranny Hotel, with Department staff answering queries on the various schemes in the new programme and helping many to submit their BISS applications.

A smaller crowd at the public meeting on CAP heard the Department officials insist that the vast majority of farmers working extensive holdings will have in excess of 10% of their lands classed as space for nature, thereby qualify for two options under the eco-scheme measure.

Department official David Buckley told the meeting that payments under the new CAP programme would be based on the area deemed to be eligible hectares.

Rock and scrub

While ground under yards, housing, roads and slurry tanks will be excluded from payments, Buckley pointed out that parcels which include some features such as rock or scrub will now be fully eligible. However, the area of rock and scrub must comprise less than 50% of full parcel.

He said this was an important change from the last CAP programme and one which farmers should be aware of when completing their BISS application.

However, Buckley added that where rock, scrub and other ineligible features constitute more than 70% of a land parcel, then that entire parcel will be deemed ineligible.

In answer to a question from the floor, Department staff confirmed that the closing date for ANC applications had been extended by two weeks to May 29.

Another farmer asked if a section of a lake on his farm would qualify as a pond under the eco scheme measures. Despite the lake being home to ducks, geese and the odd swan, the Department maintained it was ineligible.