Large portions of farming land have been excluded from the new Agri-Environment Climate Measure (AECM), according to the Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers’ Association (ICSA).
Rural Development chairperson for the group Tim Farrell says eligible areas for the scheme fall predominantly in counties along the western seaboard – while the midlands, northwest, and most of Leinster and Munster have been left out.
The scheme will see eligible farmers receiving a grant of up to €10,000.
It’s understood that the selected areas identified in a map released by the Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine last week, will see farmers participating in ‘co-operation projects’ (CPs). However, farmers who are unavailable for the CPs will be able to get a maximum payment of €7,000, with an expected average payment of around €5,000.
Farrell says that “while most farmers will see a modest increase in payments through the new scheme, these gains are likely to be erased through “massive inflation in input costs”.
He comments that this is why during the CAP negotiations ICSA argued very strongly for an agri-environment scheme that would deliver a maximum payment of €15,000.
Farmers have been called to do more on climate change, however more cannot be done without adequate financial support.
LSL News.