GAEC 1 – Establishment of Buffer Strips along Watercourses The aim of this GAEC standard is to protect watercourses against pollution and run-off from agricultural sources by maintaining buffer strips. These requirements restrict the application and storage of chemical and organic fertilisers along watercourses and beside wells and boreholes. (SMR 1-Nitrates) NOTE: ‘Watercourses’ are all surface waters, including coastal water, estuaries, lakes, ponds, rivers, streams, […]
SMR 11 Welfare of Calves The aim of this requirement is to ensure the welfare of calves (bovine animals up to six months old) by meeting minimum standards for their care and husbandry. These requirements apply to you if you keep calves in addition to the other requirements for the Welfare of Farm Animals (SMR 13). Routine Inspections of Animals and Freedom of Movement You […]
SMR 10 Plant Protection Products (Pesticides) SMR 10 seeks to ensure that where pesticides are used, this use is necessary, and that they are used in a manner that minimises risk to the user, the environment and the food chain. Pesticides comprise both Plant Protection Products (PPPs) and Biocidal products. PPPs are used to protect crops from damage caused by pests, e.g. insects, fungi, weeds […]
SMR 4 Food and Feed Hygiene This SMR is applicable to all farmers both as food and feed business operators producing food or feed from plants and rearing animals for food or producing products of animal origin. Source and use feed from establishments that are registered by A list of registered and approved establishments Put measures in place to ensure cross contamination of feed does […]
SMR 2 – Conservation of Wild Birds This requirement is aimed at protecting all wild birds, their eggs and nests. This SMR is applicable to all farmers and all land. There may be additional rules to comply with if you have land designated as a Special Protection Area (SPA). The removal of vegetation from a field, e.g. scrub that is beneficial to birds is not […]
Export Refunds Export refunds are subsidies, which may be paid in respect of beef, live cattle, milk and milk products, sugar, cereals, pigmeat, poultry and egg products and certain processed products that are exported outside the EU. The amount of the subsidy, which can vary depending on the destination of the product, is designed to cover the difference between the EU market price and the […]
Environmental Impact Assessment The Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) (Agriculture) Regulations (S.I. 456 of 2011) came into force on 8 September 2011. The Regulations apply to three different types of activities; • Restructuring of rural land holdings (including hedge removal) • Commencing to use uncultivated land or semi-natural areas for intensive agriculture • Land drainage works on lands used for agriculture. 2 Terms and Conditions Where […]
SMR 1 Protection of Water against Pollution caused by Nitrates The aim of this requirement is to reduce the pollution of waters caused by nitrates and phosphates occurring from agricultural land and farmyards. This SMR applies to all beneficiaries. A farmer must: Divert all clean water to a clean water outfall Prevent clean water from becoming soiled Minimise the amount of soiled water that is […]
Implementation Cross Compliance is implemented under two main areas: Statutory Management Requirements (SMRs): These SMRs refer to 13 legislative requirements in the field of the environment, food safety, animal and plant health and animal welfare. Good Agricultural and Environmental Condition (GAEC): This obligation of keeping land in good agricultural and environmental condition refers to a range of standards related to soil, the protection and maintenance […]
Complementary Redistributive Income Support for Sustainability (CRISS) This measures designed to redistribute CHP funds from larger firms to medium and smaller size farms. It is mandatory under the EU regulation.It is proposed to allocate 10% of the direct payments ceiling (amounting to some €118m in Ireland) to CRISS, a key target under the EU Regulation. CRISS is paid up to the first 30 hectares at […]
CAP reform 2023 to 2027 It is expected that the basic payment scheme will be replaced by the support for sustainability (BISS). The value of entitlements will be subject to further convergence. The average value of an entitlement is likely to be one €165. A certain percentage of direct payments will be made to assist young farmers in establishing farming businesses under the complimentary income […]
The Basic Payment Scheme The Basic Payment Scheme replaced the Single Farm Payment in 2016. It represents an ongoing step in the evolution of the farm support regime. Over the period 2014 to 2020, the apportionment of support is expected to become less historically based and more uniform in application. The basic scheme entitlement is based on the monetary value of entitlements in 2014 and […]
Axis 1 Measures See the section on EU Law, which requires rural development strategies for the EU budgetary cycles 2007 to 2013. The following sets out a brief overview of the Irish measures for 2007-13. Axis 1 is aimed at improving competitiveness in the agricultural sector. The objectives include providing training in relation to Agri environmental requirements to optimise delivery, encourage the transfer of holdings […]
Background Milk quotas were in place until 2014/2015. The milk quota system limited the national quota of milk. Each milk purchaser, including cooperatives and dairy companies were required to apply a super levy to producers who exceeded their individual quota. Unallocated quotas could be apportioned. The super levy was a 115 percent of the target price for milk (2009 1.66 euro per gallon). A dairy […]
Single Farm Payment 2005 The European Commission’s mid-term review of the CAP agenda was the subject of negotiation over several years. Ultimately, in 2003, the Council of Ministers agreed to a fully decoupled Single Payment Scheme. The livestock premia and arable aid schemes which formerly applied were decoupled from production so that entitlement was no longer linked to the extent of production. The following former […]
Rural Environmental Protection Scheme The rural environment protection scheme encourages farmers to introduce agricultural production methods compatible with environmental protection and protection of the landscape and features. The REPS 4 programme commenced in 2007. The objective of REPS is to promote ways of using agricultural land compatible with the protection of the environment biodiversity landscape features, climate change, natural resources, soil, water quality and genetic […]
Axis 3 Measures Axis 3 measures are delivered through the so-called LEADER approach. They are designed to improve the quality of life in rural areas and promote diversification of the rural economy. This takes place through increasing the economic activity and employment rates in the wider rural community through encouraging on-farm diversification into non-agricultural activities, supporting and creating micro-enterprises, encouraging rural tourism built sustainable development […]
Statutory Management Requirements It is a condition of receipt of payments under the Single Payment Scheme and certain other similar schemes that the farmer complies with the statutory management requirements (SMR) and keeps the land in good agricultural and environmental condition (GAEC). The statutory management requirements are set out in EU legislation on the environment, animal and public health and animal welfare. It is an […]
Various Schemes Some schemes continue to exist outside of the single farm payment, which are claimed on the single payment application. They include the following Disadvantaged area compensatory allowance scheme. Afforestation premium and grants scheme. Energy crops scheme. Dried fodder scheme. Suckler welfare scheme. Organic farming scheme. National energy premium scheme. Bioenergy establishment grant scheme. Installation aid scheme. Early retirement scheme. Scheme of investment aid […]
CAP Background The Treaty of Rome, the founding document of the European Economic Community provided that this would be a common policy for agriculture. It stated that the maintenance of difference in agricultural systems would lead to distortion of competition and would impede trade and produce differences in food costs and hence in the cost of living prejudicial to true economic integration. When the EEC […]
The Common Agricultural Policy The Common Agricultural Policy consumes a large part of the EU budget, through the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund (EAGGF). The Guarantee element finances the expenditure on market organisation and rural development measures. The Guidance element finances other rural development expenditures. The fund is administered by the Commission and by member states. Institutions within states are designated for the administration […]
Cohesion Funds The Cohesion Funds (2007 to 2013) support measures under the convergence objectives. The aim is to accelerate convergence in EU states where development is lagging behind by improving conditions for growth and employment. The objective of the Fund is to provide sustainable development. The ceiling on the Cohesion Fund\’s contribution to public expenditure, which is co-financed by member states, is 85 per cent. […]
Background Agriculture has been at the heart of the European Union since its foundation. This reflects the post-war food security requirement and the strong political influence of France in the 1950s and 1960s with its large agricultural sector, relative to Germany. Agricultural competence is restated in the Treaty on the functioning of the European Union. The Treaties set out the objectives of the Common Agricultural […]