State outlines rural development schemes

Rural environment is one of the central themes of the LEADER element of the 2014-20 rural development programme which the Government has submitted to the EU.

These others are:

* Rural economic development/enterprise development/job creation — incorporating rural tourism, enterprise development, broadband training, and rural towns;

* Social inclusion through building community capacity, training, and animation;

* Ringfenced support of €15m for distinctive regional products and artisan food producers (incorporating help for honey and apple producers).

The precise projects to be supported along the lines of these themes will emerge from the bottom-up approach via development of local development strategies.

In the 2014-20 Areas of Natural Constraint (ANC) Scheme (formerly known as the Disadvantaged Areas Scheme), a new top-up will offer a farmer living on an island an additional €150 per forage hectare, subject to a maximum of €250 per hectare up to 34 hectares. Where the farmer is not resident on the island, the top up is €75 per forage hectare.

The ANC scheme must be reassessed on the basis of new biophysical criteria, from 2018 at the latest.

The 2014-20 allocation for locally led targeted agri-environment schemes has also been significantly increased to €70m.

It will fund two flagship schemes, the Burren Farming for Conservation Scheme, and Freshwater Pearl Mussel Catchment area projects. Further local targeted projects will be identified.

Support for approved collaborative approaches to farming has increased to €3m, following consultation.

Set-up costs up to €2,500 are proposed for farmers entering approved collaborative models, the target is to support 1,200 new collaborative ventures.