Farm safety questionnaire offering €156

Each AETS participant is required to complete a questionnaire before attending the course and submit it to the AETS Trainer in order to earn the €156 payment.

How much do you know about farm safety and biodiversity on your farm?

Your answers in a quiz on these topics could help to snag you €156! That's the payment for those who successfully complete the one-day Agri-Environment Training Scheme (AETS) course in environmental practices and standards.

Attendance at the course is voluntary. It is designed to encourage participation in future environmental schemes and to promote awareness of farm safety.

It will also prepare landowners for the new agri-environment scheme in 2023 (the Agri-Environment Climate Measures), and they will learn about results-based payments. All the training courses must be completed by August 31, 2022, with up to 25 participants per course.

With a €7m budget, the courses will be created and undertaken by more than 400 advisors across the country approved by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine as AETS Trainers.

Full information including the list of approved AETS Trainers and their contact details can be found on gov.ie.

Each AETS participant is required to complete a questionnaire before attending the course and submit it to the AETS Trainer. This is one of many terms and conditions which must be adhered to by participants in order to earn the €156 payment.

The 29 questions to be answered range from "Are you aware of the new Eco-scheme Pillar 1 measure in the next CAP?" and "Do you understand the term 'conditionality' in the next CAP?" to "Suggest two ways how farmers can improve the health and organic matter content of their soils?" and "What are the reasons for unsatisfactory nitrate concentrations in our rivers?"

Participants are also asked what are the three main safety risks on their holding, and when did they last update their Farm Safety Statement.

Launching the AETS in February, Agriculture Minister Charlie McConalogue said it will make available easily accessible information to farmers and increase their awareness and understanding of current issues.

Junior Minister Pippa Hackett said it’s important farmers are well placed to make the most of schemes coming up in the new CAP.