INHFA: DAFM considering GAEC 2 appeals system
The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) is considering an appeals system for farmers to get land taken out of the Good Agricultural and Environmental Conditions 2 (GAEC 2) scheme, according to the president of the Irish Natura and Hill Farmers Association (INHFA), Vincent Roddy.
Speaking on the latest episode of Agriland''s AgriFocus podcast yesterday, Tuesday, March 11, Roddy gave an in depth explanation of GAEC 2, and how it is impacting farmers.
"When farmers are talking to farm advisors, it’s important that they bring up, that they can check the maps. They can see how their land is," he said.
"The department is talking about an appeals system for farmers to get that land taken out. [It's] also saying if you have mineral soils, you can split a parcel."
However, according to Roddy, there are two problems with splitting a parcel.
"The first problem is that you need a feature in order to be able to split a parcel. In your two fields it’s straight forward, but you need a hedgerow, you could put in a fence, or you need a river or something like that. You do need a feature to split a parcel," he said.
"The other problem with splitting a parcel, we saw the problem with ACRES, you’re going to create two new parcels. That is going to give complications with ACRES. One of the big issues around ACRES has been trying to get the parcels to match up with the basic payment," he added.
Roddy said the INHFA is hoping to meet with the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon.
"There are additional concerns around GAEC 2 that haven’t been properly addressed. We’re hoping to get all this sorted with the minister. We would like to get this addressed with him," Roddy said.
"What farmers need to do, when they’re talking to their farm advisor, ask them about where GAEC 2 stands for them, if they have peatlands. They should be able to go over the maps. If we can be successful with the minister, we might be able to find a solution," he added.
The former president of the INHFA, Colm O'Donnell told Agriland today (Wednesday, March 12), that he believes the organisation will meet with the minister next Thursday, March 20.
“In Ireland’s capital strategic plan, the main objective of GAEC 2 is the protection of carbon rich soils. That’s in the regulation. The question here is, does mineral soil meet the main objective? In our opinion it clearly doesn’t,” O'Donnell said.
