Latest news with #GAEC2
Irish Examiner
04-06-2025
- Politics
- Irish Examiner
New hedge must be planted before old one removed, farmers told
Farmers have been reminded that the only exceptions allowing removal of hedgerows are for farmyard expansion, widening gaps for larger machinery, or road or farm safety issues. Only the minimum necessary length of hedge can be removed. Under road safety, an unacceptable level of risk must be identified by the Local Authority, the National Roads Authority, or the Gardaí before a hedge can be removed (for example, if a laneway is too narrow for modern machinery or commercial vehicles). Under farm safety issues, a hedgerow in a field with a gradient in excess of 15% in arable land or 20% in grassland, as flagged on the BISS map layer, can be demonstrated to cause an unacceptable risk (for example, if a farmer wants to plough for first-time tillage, necessitating turning on a steep hill). Since 2009, hedgerows have been designated as landscape features, and beneficiaries of CAP payments (such as BISS) are obliged to retain them, according to a recent update by Mícheál Kelly, scheme support specialist with Teagasc. Farmers have heard a lot recently about GAEC 2, but it is GAEC 8 that deals with retention and maintenance of non-productive features such as hedges, and other areas to improve biodiversity on farms. GAEC refers to Good Agricultural and Environmental Condition in the terms and conditions for EU farm income support. Hedgerows are vital for biodiversity, providing essential habitats and travel corridors for numerous species, while also supporting a rich array of plant and animal life. A hedge means a line of shrubs and/or trees, maintained to form a barrier for controlling animals or marking land boundaries. It can vary from a dense barrier to individual trees. A gappy hedge, with at least 20% of hedgerow species (including briars, gorse etc.) dispersed along its length, is still considered a hedgerow. Briars on an earthen bank are also protected landscape features. Many earthen banks on their own are recorded as national monuments, and as such are designated landscape features, afforded the same protection as hedgerows. Even where hedgerow removal is permitted under exceptional circumstances, there are conditions attached. The work cannot be done between March 1 and August 31. And the original landscape feature must be replaced, prior to its removal, by twice the length to be removed. This must be like-for-like: only a hedge can replace a hedge. So if 10m of hedgerow is to be removed, 20m of hedgerow must be planted in the same vicinity before the removal work can commence. The replacement hedgerow cannot be funded under an agri-environment measure such as ACRES or the Eco-Scheme. It must consist of traditional local species and cannot include amenity species such as laurel or conifers. New hedgerows should ideally connect with existing hedgerows or woodlands. A hedgerow or line of trees planted in front of or alongside another hedgerow, planting a line of trees, or planting a grove of trees does not fulfil the replacement requirement. Planting within the curtilage of a dwelling house is not permitted. In designated areas (Special Area of Conservation, Special Protection Area, or National Heritage Area), prior approval from the National Parks and Wildlife Service is required for any hedgerow removal. As field boundaries, hedgerows are also protected by Environmental Impact Assessment regulations (even if there is no BISS application). Therefore, landowners must apply for screening if they wish to remove any field boundary over 500m in length, or if removal of any field boundary would result in the creation of a field over five hectares in size, whichever is the lesser. These thresholds refer to the cumulative total over any five-year period. EIA assessment is also required wherever proposed works are to be carried out within (or may affect) a proposed NHA or a nature reserve, or wherever proposed works may have a significant effect on the environment. Read More Impunity for environmental crimes sees our hills burn
Agriland
28-05-2025
- General
- Agriland
DAFM hoping to have GAEC 2 appeals system in place next month
The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) is hoping to have an appeals system for Good Agricultural and Environmental Conditions 2 (GAEC 2) in place shortly. Michael Moloney, senior inspector in the integrated controls division of the department, was speaking at an Irish Farmers' Association (IFA) meeting in Co. Kerry last night (Tuesday, May 27). GAEC 2 is the conditionality standard of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) related to the protection of peatlands and wetlands. It formally entered into force on May 1, which means that any works carried out before that date do not come under the scope of the condition. GAEC 2 Moloney reiterated that there are no additional actions for a farmer and they can continue to farm as normal under GAEC 2. Under the condition, the senior inspector said that the maintenance of an existing drain on is permitted and replacement is acceptable. However, he said that new drainage on never-drained parcels of land will require planning permission or an exemption from the local authority, as is currently the case under national legislation. He added that the deepening of existing drains or the extension of the drained area beyond what was previously existed is considered new drainage. Michael Moloney, senior inspector with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) Moloney told the meeting that ploughing on GAEC 2 lands is permitted to a maximum depth of 30cm on grass and arable land, which he said should not impact on farmers. Under GAEC 2, ploughing for reseeding grassland will be permitted one in every four years and annual ploughing is allowed on arable land. Appeals Approximately 35,000 farmers have been contacted by DAFM in relation to the 540,000ha covered by GAEC 2. Farmers or their advisors can check if their land is covered by the condition through the AgFood online portal. 'There will be an appeals mechanism established. We will have that out in due course, hopefully early next month. Farmers can appeal it. 'They'll have to provide evidence of soil samples etc., showing that there isn't 30% organic matter and the depth of the peat is not 30-45cm. 'The only person who really needs to appeal this is those that basically want to do something on this undrained soils in 2025. 'We'll prioritise those because we don't have the capacity to deal with a large number of people or appeals that just want to appeal it for the sake of it,' he said. Moloney noted that GAEC 2 is part of the current CAP cycle and may or may not be part of the post-2027 CAP. The DAFM senior inspector said that lands covered by GAEC 2 do not carry any legal designation, such as Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) or Special Protection Areas (SPAs) 'GAEC 2 is not a designation, it is a classification for the basis of conditionality and it is baseline or minimum,' he said. Kerry IFA chair Jason Fleming said it is a 'massive inconvenience' for farmers having to apply for planning permission for new drains or deepening existing drains on GAEC 2 lands. 'I know you don't like using the word designation, but it feels to us like a form of designation,' he said.
Agriland
27-05-2025
- Business
- Agriland
CAP simplification must deliver for farmers
Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Martin Heydon has said that efforts to simplify the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) must benefit farmers. The minister was speaking during a meeting of the Agriculture and Fisheries Council (AGRIFISH) yesterday (Monday, May 26). The council held a policy debate on the vision for agriculture and food, published by the European Commission in February. EU agriculture ministers emphasised the need for an adequate and separate budget for the CAP so that it can meet the ambitious objectives of the vision, with many indicating that the CAP should continue to be based on two pillars. CAP Minister Heydon told the meeting that Ireland 'welcomes the changes to the performance clearance and amendment processes which should go some way to easing the administrative burden for member states.' 'In relation to conditionality, I welcome the proposed reference to recognition of national requirements while setting conditionality standards. 'I would have liked to have seen the proposal on conditionality go further in terms of taking account of overlaps with existing national EU requirements, particularly in relation to GAEC 2. 'But I do welcome the proposed extension of the period of support of new mandatory requirements from the current 24 months to the end of the programming period for agri-environmental measures and to 36 months for investments,' he said. 'A first impression of these proposals may be of limited direct benefit to Irish farmers. For instance, our family farm structure means that while we have very few very large farms, we equally do not have a large number of very small farms. 'So the initiatives related to the small farmers scheme are of little benefit to Ireland,' he added. Simplification Minister Heydon welcomed that the CAP simplification package was being examined by experts from the Special Committee on Agriculture (SAC). 'It is clear that we need to have these detailed proposals examined by experts. This may also provide the opportunity to discuss some additional options for simplification. 'I know there is a lot of work involved in the simplification package and we need to ensure that the end results deliver some real reduction in the administrative burden for farmers and for member states. 'My priorities are for a CAP that is more straightforward for farmers, more flexible and responsive with an appropriate balance between all elements of sustainability and above all a CAP that has a dedicated and sufficient budget,' he said. Minister Heydon said that the EU Vision for Agriculture and Food provides 'a strong platform for intensified cooperation in the period ahead'. 'More than ever, it is essential that we work together to support the agri-food sector and to underline its critical importance to the future strategic autonomy and stability of the EU as a whole,' he said. Deforestation Minister Heydon also told the AGRIFISH Council that there is 'a clear need' to explore 'a more simplified approach' to the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR). 'In particular, there are opportunities to reduce complexity where deforestation is low or insignificant. 'There is also potential to use data from national traceability systems to demonstrate compliance with EUDR at EU member state level,' he said. Minister Heydon said that Ireland supports the call to for a further delay in the implementation of the regulation in order to address these issues. Last week, the European Commission has published the first benchmarking list, which classifies countries according to their 'low', 'standard', or 'high' risk of deforestation. This country classification takes into account the production of the seven commodities covered by the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), including cattle, cocoa, coffee, oil palm, rubber, soya and wood. The aim of the EU Deforestation Regulation, according to the European Commission, is to ensure that goods in the EU market do not contribute to deforestation and forest degradation, both within the EU and globally. The new regulation means that companies will only be allowed to sell products in the EU if the supplier provides a 'due diligence' statement confirming that the product does not come from deforested land or has led to forest degradation. The regulation was set to come into effect at the end of 2024. However, this was deferred until the end of 2025, and mid-2026 for smaller businesses.
Irish Independent
27-05-2025
- General
- Irish Independent
I'm concerned that tighter environmental measures could affect our land use
Last week I got a letter in explaining the conditions of GAEC 2 from the Department of Agriculture.
Agriland
26-05-2025
- Business
- Agriland
Heydon downplays GAEC 2 CAP flexibility for Irish farmers
Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Martin Heydon has moved to downplay the importance to Irish farmers of the European Commission's decision to provide flexibility around the Good Agricultural and Environmental Conditions (GAEC), specifically GAEC 2. Minister Heydon told Agriland that the financial implication of the standard, which may impact farmers in some member states, 'isn't the case in Ireland'. GAEC 2 is the conditionality standard of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) related to the protection of peatlands and wetlands. It formally entered into force in early May. Earlier this month, the commission announced a raft of measures to simplify the current 2023-2027 CAP, including an allowance for member states to include disadvantages to farmers arising from the conditionality standard to be incorporated into calculations for payments for eco-schemes and agri-environmental measures. However, the minister had repeatedly said that the enforcement of GAEC 2 in Ireland will not change how Irish farmers farm day-to-day. For that reason, he indicated, the flexibility around the conditionality standard would not necessarily be of benefit to Irish farmers. He told Agriland: 'Whether [the GAEC 2 flexibility] will make a material difference to farmers' day-to-day lives, I'm not convinced of that. '[There] may be some flexibility around eco-schemes…in other countries where there's a financial implication. That isn't the case in Ireland. 'Farmers continue to be able to farm as they have done on a day-to-day basis under GAEC 2, so letters that those farmers received…still stand. Farmers don't have anything to fear from GAEC 2. It does not change their day-to-day activity,' Minister Heydon said. 'There won't be a raft of farmers who are impacted or fined as a result of any of the outcomes of GAEC 2,' he added. The minister expressed similar sentiments in response to a parliamentary question from Labour Party TD Robert O'Donoghue, who asked the minister to outline his position on the matter. The minister told O'Donoghue: 'It is important to note two points regarding the possibility of providing specific support measures under the [CAP Strategic Plan] for GAEC 2 requirements. First, Ireland's CAP strategic plan funding is already fully committed under the existing schemes and no new funding is available as part of the simplification proposals. 'Second, the GAEC 2 standard for Ireland, as recently introduced, is based on existing national legislation and usual farming practices,' he added.
