The Irish Natura & Hill Farmers Association (INHFA) are calling for funding under the new CAP programme for farmers impacted with land designations.
Speaking on this, national president Pheilim Molloy detailed how the designations imposed through the nature directives “have impacted income and increased cost for the estimated 35,000 farmers since they were first introduced in the mid-1990s.”
These designations which he clarified “are covered under SACs (special areas of conservation) and SPAs (special protected areas), have over their lifetime, cost farmers and landowners millions each year with no real intent by the state to address this injustice.
“While legislators and government officials have often provided sympathy and in some instances a promise to address this, neither sympathy or false promises will put bread on the table” added Molloy.
As we move into developing the new CAP programme, the farm leader stressed “it is vital that this injustice is finally addressed and Article 9 of the draft CAP regulation allows for this.” This article, which the INHFA president explains, “provides Support for disadvantages resulting from certain mandatory requirements andallows Member States to provide area-based support in agriculture for disadvantages from the implementation of Council Directive 92/43/EEC and Directive 2009/147/EC of the European Parliament and Council.”
This he added “covers support for baseline costs incurred through the SAC and SPA land designations.
Point 3 of this Article further clarifies the basis for payment stating that payments can be made to “compensate beneficiaries for all or part of the additional costs and income forgone related to the compliance with mandatory requirements resulting from its implementation”
For farmers with designated lands there is Molloy stated “a clear route to now cover any costs they may have incurred such as planning permission for fencing or other costs as a result of complying with any of the 38 activities requiring consent (ARCs) while also covering any loss of income as a result of complying with the designation.”
This Molloy stressed “is different to previous payments made in-lieu of designations under schemes such as REPS or AEOS. Here payments were made not on the baseline costs, but were based on the completion of actions that were deemed to improve the habitat thus supporting the designation.”
In concluding the INHFA leader stated how “the Minister and Government should no longer ignore the legitimate case, farmers on designated lands have for a payment in recognition of the enormous burden imposed on them and this needs to be in the CAP programme to address it.”