‘Farmers bitterly disappointed with new scheme’
THE farming community is bitterly disappointed by the new Hen Harrier Scheme and rightly so, writes Irish Farmers with Designated Land (IFDL) chairman Jason Fitzgerald.
There was a clear commitment and agreement given to the IFDL that new Locally Led Agri-Environment Schemes (LLAES) would deliver a payment of €370 per hectare for those farmers over 19 hectares. But, instead, the new scheme announced recently will only pay €66 per hectare or €26 an acre.
The monetary shortfall for farmers is monumental.
The background to this scheme was to address the short comings of the GLAS and GLAS+ scheme for farmers with large tracks of Hen Harrier SPA designated land, particularly those over 19 hectares.
IFDL was established to highlight the lack of support that was given to farmers in Hen Harrier SPA designated land.
The over 3,700 farmers affected by this designation have no autonomy over their own land, nor are they able to avail of any economic opportunities that may arise. As a result their lands remain almost worthless and sterilised.
In 2007, when these lands were being designated, it was on the basis that a scheme would be opened and would pay farmers €350 per hectare up to 40 hectares with reduced payment thereafter. Only 10 per cent of farmers accessed the scheme before it prematurely closed. Also, afforestation was banned despite a pre-designation agreement.
The new Hen Harrier Scheme is a missed opportunity and is at odds with all the promises and assurances given by Ministers and department officials.
The scheme will be made up of three different areas where farmers may receive additional income:
on the quality of habitat on inspection. Farmers receive a payment score between 4-10 (1-3 does not qualify for payment) based on the quality of the habitat. This payment structure is based on the Burren Life project which has been running since 2012, the average payment score in the Burren is 6/10. For this reason, the below examples are based on a score of 6/10.
1. Results based payments
This payment is to reimburse farmers for expenditure on products or infrastructural that may be seen as beneficial to the habitat.
Unfortunately, this does not financially benefit farmers. This payment is based on a value of €40 per hectare.
This payment is based on the success of the hen harrier locally and within the SPA. Each year if the hen harrier improves locally or within the SPA farmers will receive a bonus payment that will be determined by available funds.
Despite a farmer’s best effort, they may not receive this payment if the hen harrier does not have a successful breeding season, this is something farmers have no influence over. This payment could be up to 30 per cent of the overall payment. Farmers have no control over this payment and is grossly unfair.
2. Support actions payment. 3. Hen Harrier Payment.