Strong farmer interest in agri-environment scheme

Nearly 27,000 farmers have applied to join the Green Low Carbon Agri-Environment Scheme. Agriculture Minister Simon Coveney said he was delighted by the uptake.

“By any standards, the Green Low Carbon Agri- Environment Scheme is already a huge success and it is clearly going to play a key role in the protection of our rural environment,” he said.

Mr Coveney released details of the first tranche of applications for the scheme, co-funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development. He said early indications are that most of the applicants will draw close to the maximum annual payment of €5,000.

The most popular action was under low input permanent pasture, selected by 20,000 farmers. Protection of watercourses was another popular choice by 10,000 farmers. Some of the highlights he identified are that 180,000 hectares of permanent pasture will be conserved, 8,000 km of water courses protected and 40,000 hectares of endangered bird habitat will be brought under sustainable management.

A total of 50,000 hectares of other natural habitats will be protected, 1,300km of hedgerows will be planted and 2,000 new groves of native trees will be established.