National Farm Plan Scheme welcomed

Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) Special Areas of Conservation (SAC) Committee chairman Martin Gavin said the delay in the implementation of the National Parks and Wildlife Farm Plan Scheme for farming and developmental restrictions imposed in SAC areas had led to many of the problems which farmers had experienced over the last number of years.

Mr Gavin said that the long-overdue announcement by Environment Minister Dick Roche would allow farmers who were not in Rural Environment Protection Scheme (REPS) the option of securing payment for the severe restrictions that were imposed on farming practices in designated SAC, NHA and SPA areas throughout the country.

The IFA man said that while the majority of the 20,000 farmers in designated areas would be joining the REPS scheme, the fact that the National Farm Plan Scheme was now available would allow those farmers who could not apply for REPS another option of compensation.

Mr Gavin said many of the problems in SAC areas could have been overcome in the past if a proper compensation scheme was available to all farmers.

The IFA will be pressing for full compensation for all restrictions in designated areas.

* Brazil, the world’s biggest beef exporter, said it found cattle infected by foot-and-mouth disease on six more farms in the southern state of Parana.

The farms raise the tally for Parana state to seven cases, the ministry said in a statement. The six farms have a total 4,500 head of cattle.

Brazilian beef has been banned in 56 countries since authorities found a foot-and-mouth outbreak in the southwestern state of Mato Grosso do Sul in October.