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Minister of State for Agriculture Pippa Hackett has launched a call seeking locally led proposals for a scheme to rewet farmed peatland.
The rewetting of peat is seen as an important measure by some to aid carbon sequestration. However, it has been met with a mixed response from some farmers.
As previously reported by the Irish Farmers Journal, the scheme will be in line with Ireland's proposals under the next CAP submission.
Results-based payments
Minister Hackett said that payments to farmers involved in any future scheme would be results-based and in recognition of environmental benefits farmers provided for biodiversity and climate action.
“How we manage our peatlands can play an important part in removing carbon from our environment and assist us in tacking climate change,” Minister Hackett said.
“This is an important ambition within our programme for government. This call is evidence of that ambition and will provide important learnings for the next Rural Development Programme and the management of our peatlands.”
The open call will focus on drained peatland in the midlands. For further information on the open call, you can access the Department of Agriculture website here.
SHARING OPTIONS: