Sinn Féin urges minister to 'defer' GAEC 2 for another year
The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine has been urged to "defer" the implementation of the good agricultural and environmental condition (GAEC 2) for another year because of the level of uncertainty surrounding it at this time.
The Sinn Féin spokesperson on agriculture, Martin Kenny, detailed today (Tuesday, May 6) that he has personally written to Minister Martin Heydon in relation to farmers' concerns around GAEC 2.
The Sligo-Leitrim TD said: “I have written to the minister for agriculture requesting that he defer the implementation of GAEC 2 for another year until he provides more clarity to farmers on what land falls under GAEC 2 and what implications it will have for farmers in the future.
“GAEC 2 proposals were approved last week by the EU, which determine what restrictions will be placed on farmers under GAEC 2 however farmers have been left in the dark as the proposals have not been published".
GAEC 2– one of several GAEC rules that govern conditionality for payments under the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) – is described as a baseline requirement for the protection of carbon-rich soils, including peatlands and wetland.
The controversial standard for the protection of wetlands and peatlands under CAP conditionality is officially in force according to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM).
The standard entered into operation in Ireland following final approval by the European Commission on April 30.
But according to Deputy Kenny, farmers are not clear about what they are required to deliver under the standard and what it will mean for their farm.
“Farmers are currently completing their Basic Income Support for Sustainability (BISS) applications and are being asked to tick a box to say they will comply with GAEC 2 even though the majority of them are not aware if their land will be classed as peatland under GAEC 2 as they haven’t been provided maps.
"Nor do they know what they are agreeing to comply with or what impact it could have on their farm into the future," Deputy Kenny added.He said he had met with members of various farming organisations who have expressed "serious concerns" about how GAEC 2 will play out in Ireland.
“I would urge the minister to take this issue seriously and defer GAEC 2 for another year even if it is going to incur a financial penalty.
"At the moment farmers are being asked to accept the unknown which is not acceptable," Deputy Kenny added.
