Major overhaul of land-mapping system to start in new year

A MAJOR update of the Department of Agriculture’s land-mapping system that is used to monitor CAP payment schemes will be rolled out in the new year.

The Department has confirmed to the Farming Independent that a significant revamp of Land Parcel Identification System (LPIS) is now under way.

LPIS is crucial to the control systems employed for area-based CAP programmes such as the Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) and ANC.

“The Department is updating its mapping and imagery systems to take account of best available technologies and to keep to the standard required for the delivery of EU-funded schemes,” the Department stated.

“This new version of the Land Parcel Identification System will give a more accurate reflection of the land parcel boundaries that are used across a range of Department schemes.”

“The latest phase of this modernisation is now under way and the new version will be used for Co Louth from January 2019. It will be rolled out across the rest of the country on a phased basis.”

The Department told farmer representatives at last week’s Charter of Farmers’ Rights meeting that the updated LPIS would deliver “enhanced services for farmers”.

The revamping of the LPIS system marks a further ramping up of ‘eye in the sky’ monitoring of the farming sector.

At the recent AGM of ICMSA, EU Commissioner Phil Hogan claimed that satellite systems with the precision to read livestock tag numbers were set to replace physical on-farm inspections.

Compliance with EU schemes will be monitored by satellites passing over every farm three times a day, Mr Hogan said.