Plenty of opportunities for farmers to earn extra enterprise income
He highlighted opportunities in organic farming and other areas at a farm diversification seminar in Co Cavan.
In rural tourism, farmers can provide accommodation, evening meals, open farms, catering for bus tour groups, boating, heritage or local walks and cultural experiences like traditional music or historic sites, he said.
He pointed to opportunities, such as breeding quality horses, or training horses; forestry; horticulture products and amenity shrubs for Ireland’s growing number of householders; local or artisan foods like farmhouse cheese, yoghurts, meats, smoked products, jams, preserves and chutneys; the more conventional fresh vegetables or potatoes; goat’s milk and cheese; and deer production.
Addressing the Kilnaleck and District Community Co-op, Minister of State Smith said a good starting point is to enquire about Teagasc’s Options Analysis Programme of assistance with crucial farm business decisions and training.
He said the Alternative Enterprises Scheme provides 20 to 40% grants for housing and handling facilities for horses, deer, rabbits, goats and other acceptable non-quota species. However, no grants are available to farmers with more than 200 Income Units.
Minister of State Smith said there is real scope for organic production in the new, more market-oriented decoupled farming regime.
“In 2004, my Department paid almost €4m directly to organic farmers and the total since REPS began amounts to €31m,” he revealed.
Grants of up 40% of the cost of on-farm investments can be paid. “For off-farm investments, we can pay ten times that amount”, said Minister of State Smith.
“But the big support for the organic sector comes through the Rural Environment Protection Scheme. For example, an organic farmer with 55 hectares can now receive an annual payment in REPS 3 of €18,505 a year, for the first two years; and €13,555 each year, after that.”
