The opening of the Results-Based Environmental-Agri Pilot Project (REAP) has been welcomed by the association representing independent agricultural consultants.
REAP will put a strong emphasis on consultants and advisors, who will make applications on a farmer’s behalf and assess farmer actions under the scheme.
Following the announcement today (Wednesday, April 21) that the scheme is now open for applications, the Agricultural Consultants Association (ACA) has given it a broad welcome.
Tom Canning, the association’s president, said earlier: “We have been engaging with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and their officials on behalf of members over the past number of months on the details of this new project.
“There was a number of areas we required to be amended and we are pleased and thankful that the department took on board those views.”
Canning added: “This is an exceptionally busy period for our members and we were concerned that other important work would be undermined by the launch of REAP.
“However, following extensive negotiations, the national council considered the department view that in order to ensure there is a pilot project in 2021 for farmers and to ensure corresponding payments are issued at the end of the year, farms must be assessed in early to mid-summer,” he highlighted.
“The selection process must take place in advance of such assessments and our members will play their part in making this work for the farmer participants”.
The ACA president explained that the association received a commitment that as many of its members as possible will be part of the project, as it is a pilot for the department, advisors and farmers in the run up to the next Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and Rural Development Programme (RDP), set to come into effect in 2023.
“We know that this pilot will test the potential suitability of a national results-based system; and identify training needs of advisors and farmers; but also assess the barriers to buy-in from our farmer clients,” Canning highlighted.
“I want to sincerely thank the minister and his officials for working with us over the past few weeks and notwithstanding the certain limitations, including budget, for this project, it is important that all involved now play their part to make it a success,” he concluded.