Minister: 6,000 applications for ‘green’ scheme approved

ALMOST 6,000 applications under the new Agri-Environment Options Scheme (AEOS) have been approved, the Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Minister Brendan Smith announced at the championships.

“This represents almost two-thirds of those who applied for AEOS. Farmers who get their letters of approval this week will be given contracts starting from September 1.

“I am very pleased that we have been able to process so many applications within a fairly tight time-frame,” he said.