Planting scheme hits first-year target

THE number of applications for establishment grants of up to €1,450 per hectare to aid the planting of willow and miscanthus under the new bioenergy scheme will reach the first-year target, according to Agriculture Minister Mary Coughlan.

Some 133 applications have been submitted for grants in respect of the planting of miscanthus and 17 for willow. The target for the first year of the scheme is 1,400 hectares.

Ms Coughlan said the scheme, being run on a pilot basis in 2007, has attracted significant interest from farmers. Ms Coughlan reminded farmers to also submit an application for the EU Energy Crops Scheme or on set-aside areas under the non-food set-aside scheme.

She said establishment grants are only payable on areas sown under the EU Energy Crops Scheme or under the Non-Food Set-aside scheme and farmers must declare the land parcels used for energy crop production in their 2007 single payment application.

Ms Coughlan said that under the EU Energy Crops Scheme farmers receive EU aid of €45 per hectare per year for areas sown under energy crops.

She also reminded farmers as a further incentive to grow energy crops, an additional €80 per hectare national top-up will be payable, in addition to the €45 EU premium, increasing the overall premium available to €125 per hectare.