Commonage farmers must collaborate in green scheme

At least half of the farmers in a commonage will have to work together if they are to take part in the new GLAS environmental scheme.

The qualification criteria were recently proposed for the new environmental scheme, which is expected to start in 2015.

Second-tier access to the scheme where a minimum of just 50% participation could be secured, has been proposed by Agriculture Minister Simon Coveney, following a review of the original proposal of 80% participation to secure tier one access to the new scheme.