It is expected that the European Commission will grant a derogation on the crop diversification requirement for 2018 for arable farmers in Ireland.

European Commissioner for Agriculture Phil Hogan has confirmed to the Irish Farmers Journal that he will propose the derogation from the three crop rule. The decision is yet to be made and is subject to approval by the Commission, but Hogan said that it is the only effective support that can be provided in light of the exceptional levels of rainfall.

This follows a request from the Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed for a derogation. A representative from the Commissioner’s office has confirmed that other Member States have also made contact in relation to a derogation. These include Northern Ireland and Scotland.

The proposal for a derogation is provided for in Article 69(1) of Regulation (EU) No 137. This allows the Commission to grant derogations provided they are:

  • in order to resolve specific problems;
  • to the extent and for such period as is strictly necessary;
  • justifiable in an emergency.
  • Elsewhere Teagasc has stated that spring wheat, spring oats and beans are now past their optimum planting date. Crops planted from now on will be lower yielding and will result in a late harvest.

    Seed availability

    There has been some concern surrounding the availability of spring barley seed this year if planted area increases significantly. “If the three-crop rule goes, there would be little incentive for people to grow beans, wheat or oats and those acres may revert back to spring barley” stated Jim Gibbons, President of the Irish Seed Trade Association.

    “If there is a significant increase in spring barley area based on the reduction in winter cereal area, a derogation from the three-crop rule and an increase in spring seeding rates, then I would be suspicious that spring barley seed would be scarce” remarked Gibbons.

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