€10m in the form of REAP (Results-Based Environmental Agri-Pilot) payments will hit over 3,000 farmers’ bank accounts.
Earlier today (Friday, December 10th, 2021), Minister Charlie McConalogue announced that the DAFM has commenced issuing 2021 payments under year one of the pilot. REAP currently has 3,740 active participants.
The current round of REAP payments includes:
- Participation;
- Environmental payments (calculated from field scoring and assessment);
- A late meadow bonus.
Payments for complementary actions (tree and hedge planting and hedge gapping) will commence when payment claims are submitted in the first quarter of 2022.
The closing date for REAP participants to submit their complementary action claim is March 31st, 2022.
REAP payments
In a statement, the Minister for Agriculture, Food, and the Marine said:
“REAP is an innovative and farmer-friendly programme introduced this year.”
“Through REAP, we are bringing greater environmental and biodiversity value to how we farm.”
“Almost 32,000 ha is under the scheme. Systems are in place to support REAP farmers and their advisors to deliver for our environment.”
“This is part of our collective efforts to re-align Irish agriculture in support of our greater climate and biodiversity objectives. I look forward to the continued success of REAP into 2022.”
The DAFM launched the two-year REAP programme earlier this year to trial an agri-environment results-based scoring and payment system on farms across the country.
The project is testing the upscaling potential of the model for use in the next agri-environment scheme to follow from GLAS.
Furthermore, the DAFM said REAP would also help identify the training needs of Irish farmers and advisors to ensure maximum participation in future agri-environmental schemes.
Achievements
The minister summarised the scheme’s achievements to date:
- The environmental assessment and scoring of almost 32,000 ha. This is through using a combination of the Low Input Grassland and Multi-Species Ley scorecards;
- Training over 400 farm advisors and REAP farmers in the results-based approach.
In conjunction with their advisor, REAP participants may undertake environmental improvement works to increase the environmental value of their land with the aim of improving their score in year two.
REAP participants can also avail of financial support for the planting trees, hedges, and hedge gapping, where these actions are “likely” to improve environmental and biodiversity quality.
Farmers wishing to contact the Department regarding their REAP payment can do so by emailing – [email protected] – or via its helpdesk at 053 9163425.
Protein Aid Payments commence for tillage farmers
Meanwhile, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine has commenced issuing payments under the 2021 Protein Aid Scheme.
Minister Charlie McConalogue yesterday Thursday, December 9th), confirmed that €3m will hit tillage farmers’ accounts.
He said the DAFM set the 2021 payment rate at €300/hectare. Payments will be visible in farmers’ bank accounts in “the coming days”.
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