In a recent change to GLAS regulations, farmers are no longer permitted to supplement cattle with forage, such as hay or silage, on any parcel of land that is assigned as a Low Input Permanent Pasture (LIPP) or Traditional Hay Meadow (THM) parcel for GLAS, with immediate effect.

The announcement comes as farmers involved in GLAS I and II must undertake training on the scheme before 21 December 2017.

According to the Department of Agriculture, supplementary meal feeding to sheep may take place on these parcels, provided meal troughs are used and moved as often as required to avoid poaching. Farmers are also permitted to feed hay to sheep in hay racks – again this is provided they are moved often enough to avoid poaching.

However, supplementary feeding of forage to cattle is not allowed. Meal feeding is still allowed as long as troughs/creep feeders are moved to avoid poaching.

If the parcel is designated as a Natura parcel, the GLAS adviser and participant must ensure that the supplementary feeding of sheep does not impact negatively on the site.

Major implications

Farmers who are found guilty of breaching the new regulations will be eligible for a loss of payment on that entire LIPP parcel for one year.

This equates to a penalty of €314/ha. Where a farmer has a large portion of LIPP in one land block, the penalties could be severe.

Penalty

“If a farmer had committed to 5ha of LIPP in one parcel, the penalty will amount to €1,570 for one year.

‘‘On the majority of farms in the scheme, holdings are fragmented and often entire land parcels on outlying farms were selected for the LIPP option,” according to one agricultural consultant.