A degressive rate of payment may be developed for the eco-scheme under Pillar I of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).
This system (if adopted) would be a departure from the payment structure that has been outlined previously, which envisaged a flat rate of payment per hectare.
Earlier this afternoon (Friday, February 4), the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) published the final draft of the CAP Strategic Plan (CSP), which was submitted to the European Commission before the end of last year.
The final draft says that, based on recent “stakeholder feedback” and feedback from the European Commission, a further degressive rate of payment may be developed.
As well as that, the final draft – which is currently with the European Commission for scrutiny and final approval – has seen slight changes to the rates of payment.
Previously, the expected rate of payment was €74/ha, based on a projected uptake of 85% of farmers (itself based on typical BPS application numbers).
This rate of payment could be adjusted up or down depending on uptake, with a maximum rate of €126/ha in a case of lower uptake, and a minimum rate of €63/ha in a case of higher uptake.
The final draft released today instead envisages a planned rate of payment of €77/ha (an increase of €3/ha), based again on 85% uptake by farmers (itself based on the figure of 129,000 BPS applications for 2021), while the adjusted maximum and minimum payment rates are now €131/ha (an increase of €5/ha) and €66/ha (an increase of €3/ha) respectively.
Apart from changes – and potential changes – to the payment structure, the actions farmers will undertake remain largely the same, though with some small alterations.
Agricultural Practice 3 (there are eight altogether) pertains to limiting chemical nitrogen use. It was already known that there would be different limits for grassland farmers, based on the previous year’s stocking density (in terms of organic nitrogen).
There will also now be a limit for tillage farmers to undertake this action. This limit will be 10% below the national average chemical nitrogen application rate, i.e. 139.41kg/ha.
For Agricultural Practice 4, which will see farmers plant native trees and hedgerows, the department had already said that it would look into the possibility of allowing applicants to plant enough trees or hedgerows in a single scheme year that will cover them for a number of years of the lifetime of the eco-scheme (2023-2027). This has been formally made a part of the final draft.
Trees and hedgerows will have to be maintained for the duration of the CAP programme.
Agricultural Practice 5, if a farmer chooses it, will see them spread fertiliser with a GPS-controlled spreader. A request from some farm organisations that not all fertiliser will have to be spread in this way appears to have been granted. Farmers will therefore have to spread at least 60% of their fertiliser this way.
Agricultural Practice 6 for soil sampling will now also provide for the application of lime if recommended.
Finally, for Agricultural Practice 7 – planting of break crop where farmers have a crop diversification requirement – the minimum limit of the arable area that must be planted with the break crop will be 20% – down from 25% envisaged in previous eco-scheme announcements.
The break crops that can be used will be either oilseed rape, oats, peas, or beans, or a combination of them. Further break crops may be added later, if warranted.
Remember, all of the above is subject to approval by the European Commission.
To find out more about the eco-scheme options, click here.