DAFM insists rewetting will be 'entirely voluntary'
The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) has again insisted that any potential actions to restore or rewet drained, farmed peatlands will be based on the principle that they will be "entirely voluntary".
A spokesperson for the department made the comment after an "exploratory" meeting was held between a number of stakeholders and experts in the area of peat soil restoration.
A spokesperson for the department told Agriland: "As part of standard policy consideration, the department recently held an exploratory workshop, where practitioners in the field were invited, based on their experience through their involvement in similar projects to date, to examine the area of reduced management intensity."
Those who were invited to the workshop have worked on projects such as European Innovation Partnership (EIPs) programmes, the Agri Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES) Co-operation stream, the LIFE programme, and have other experience across government departments and agencies, the department spokesperson said.
"The workshop was an initial engagement with those with expertise in the area to assist the department in its considerations.
"Any developments in this area would be subject to a much broader consultation with stakeholders as the process progressed.
"Any proposals would be guided by the principle that they would be entirely voluntary in nature," the spokesperson added.
The Irish Farmers' Association (IFA) deputy president, Alice Doyle, has warned that any potential discussions or proposals on rewetting must include "engagement with farmers".
‘Farmers’ annoyance and frustration about being continually told what they can or cannot do with their own land is increasing, despite soft talk about simplification and reducing red tape,” the IFA deputy president added.
In a note from the General Secretariat of the Council of the European Union that was issued before EU agriculture ministers met at the end of January this year a question was raised over "the necessity to implement the GAEC 2 (protection of wetlands and peatlands) because a "similar obligation has been introduced under the Nature Restoration Law".
The note also highlighted that "the presidency would like to encourage member states to reflect on possible simplifications in the green architecture of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).
