The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine has written to farmers to inform them of changes relating to the Land Parcel Identification System (LPIS) this year.
In letters that issued this month, the department said that the LPIS land database will underpin payments to farmers under area-based schemes in the new Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).
These include the Basic Income Support for Sustainability (BISS); the eco-scheme; the Complementary Redistributive Income Support for Sustainability (CRISS); the Agri Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES); the Areas of Natural Constraint (ANC) Scheme; afforestation schemes; and the Organic Farming Scheme (OFS).
According to the department, the new LPIS will give farmers a “more accurate representation” of land parcel boundaries, and will be based on “the most up-to-date technologies” and Ordnance Survey Ireland mapping standards.
The new LPIS has already been implemented in counties Louth; Meath; Monaghan; Cavan; Leitrim; Longford; Dublin; Kildare; Westmeath; Sligo; Carlow; Wicklow; Laois; Offaly; Roscommon; Kilkenny; Mayo; Limerick; and Donegal.
In 2023 it will be further rolled out in counties Cork, Kerry, Tipperary, Waterford and Wexford.
The LPIS will be used for all land parcels in the above counties irrespective of where the landowner/herdowner is based, as well as all parcels declared by herdowners in the above counties.
All farmers will soon receive their 2023 BISS application pack. BISS replaces the Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) in the new CAP. The packs contain details of land that formed the basis of farmers’ 2022 BPS applications.
Farmers who will be using the new LPIS in 2023 are advised to “carefully examine” the BISS application pack when it’s received.
Otherwise, it is not necessary for these farmers to take any action at the present time.
The letters state that the department will again write to farmers before they receive their BISS application pack with further details to help them understand this process before BISS applications are lodged online.