REPS3 ideal boost to drystock incomes

Farming by rules: extra income from REPS3 must be weighed against a heavy burden of compliance with regulations. Stephen Cadogan reports.

SIGNIFICANT extra income over five years from REPS 3 is particularly attractive to drystock farmers changing their system of farming after decoupling. Many farmers have already expressed a keen interest in the new scheme, for which application forms are now becoming available.

However, like REPS 1 and 2, REPS 3 is a "regulation-heavy" scheme. Many farmers have found it difficult to comply with the hundreds of rules.