The Results-Based Environmental-Agri Pilot Project (REAP) will close for applications on Monday (May 10).
The scheme opened for applications on April 21. The scheme is designed to pilot measures for possible inclusion later, under the next Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) measures for Ireland from 2023 onwards.
Farmers can expect to receive an average annual payment of up to €4,700 under REAP, with a maximum payment of €6,900 available.
Maximum payment is dependent on a farmer complying with all the detailed criteria as outlined in the terms and conditions of the scheme.
Agricultural advisors will make the applications on the farmer’s behalf.
Farmers will receive a flat participation payment of €1,200. After that, there will be a results-based environmental payment that will be linked to an assessment.
The environmental payment will be paid for low-input grassland (LIG) and/or multi-species ley (MSL). Farmer can avail of both types of environmental payment in a ‘hybrid model’ or stick to just one type of payment.
Either way, payments are subject to an upper limit of 10ha (or 20ha in partnerships of two persons, or 30ha in partnerships of three persons, with payment being multiplied by the number of partners up to three).
The two types of environmental payments are subject to different upper limits: €400/ha for LIG; and €275 for MSL.
The exact rate of payment to be received for each individual farmer is determined by a scorecard.
Regardless of the type of environmental payment chosen, assessments will be carried out by advisors and marks out of 10 will be issued to farmers for each individual field.
It is understood that scores for LIG will be issued at the end of July, while scores for MSL will be issued in mid-August.
The score (out of 10) corresponds to a rate of payment (however, the lowest score for which a payment can be made is four; in other words, farmers will not receive payment for scores of one, two or three).