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Agriculture, Forestry & Rural...
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Agriculture, Forestry & Rural development
Total expenditure under the programme will amount to £1,406 million, of which the E.U. will contribute £969 million. The objectives in the agriculture, food, rural development and forestry areas are:
- Improved efficiency of production
- Promotion of farming in harmony with the environment
- Diversification of on-farm production
- Development of the non-farm rural sectors
- Development of the forestry sector
- Income maintenance in less-favoured areas
The O.P. comprises of the following measures:
And in forestry:
Overall administration of the programme is the responsibility of:
Department of Agriculure and Food,
Agriculture House,
Kildare Street,
Dublin 2.
Tel: (01) 678 9011
On Farm Investment
The objective of the measures is to promote higher levels of efficiency, quality and competitiveness in the agricultural sector together with environmental improvements.
The measure contains four sub-measures:
1. Farm Improvement Programme
This scheme provides capital grants to full-time farmers mainly in respect of farm buildings and farm waste facilities to improve the efficiency and profitability of their holdings.
The scheme is confined to full-time farmers with training and experience whose income per man work unit is below £16,000 and who carry out the investments under an agreed farm plan.
The level of applications and financial commitments mean that the scheme had to be suspended in December 1994 and is only available for horticulture.
For further details please contact:
Local Farm Development Service Office or Teagasc Office .
2. Improvement of Animal Welfare Standards
This scheme will enable farmers to meet new animal housing welfare standards in cattle, pigs and poultry areas.
Aid will be payable only to applicants whose facilities are already not up to standard, and whose gross off-farm income is under £16,000.
A scheme for the poultry sector was launched in December 1996.
3. Improvement of Dairy Hygiene Standards
This scheme aims to help dairy farmers fund the necessary investment to bring their on-farm facilities up to the standards set by a new E.U. Milk Hygiene Directive. Aid levels of up to 60% are available depending on the size of the applicant's quota excluding quota purchased in the last three years. It is geared towards the needs of smaller farmers with the aim of encouraging the maximum number to remain on milk production.
Aid is available only to applicants whose facilities are not already up to standard, and whose gross off-farm income is under £16,000. Eligible investments include upgrading the dairy, the milking premises, cow houses and isolation facilities.
The scheme was suspended in October 1996 following the approval of 5,400 investment projects.
For further details please contact:
Local Farm Development Service Office.
4. Control of Farm Pollution
The objective of this scheme is to assist farmers, particularly small farmers, to reduce farmyard related pollution and thus contribute to protection of the environment. Grant aid of up to 60% for small and medium category farmers and up to 30% for larger farmers is given for the construction of farm waste storage facilities and basic winter housing for animals. Aid is given only to applicants whose gross off-farm income is under £16,000.
The scheme was suspended in April 1995 following receipt of over 18,000 applications.
For further details please contact:
Local Farm Development Service Office.
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General Structural Improvement
The measure contains four sub-measures:
1. Installation Aid for Young Farmers
This scheme aims to encourage the earlier transfer of farms to young farmers who will be able to adapt to the challenge of developing and broadening their farming activities and thus contribute to the maintenance of a viable rural community. It is open to farmers under 35 years of age at the time of first setting up who:
- Practice farming as their main occupation on land owned and/or held on a long-term lease.
- Fulfill at the time of first setting up on the farm or at least within two years of that date, certain requirements regarding occupational skills.
- Are set up on the farm with requirement of one man work unit (mwu).
- Have obtained full title/leasehold to the land.
A single premium of £5,600 is payable.
For further Details please contact:
Local Farm Development Service Office.
2. Scheme for the Subsidisation of Milk Quota Restructuring
This scheme will provide a subsidy to enable priority category milk producers to improve their viability by purchasing additional quota. The subsidy scheme is, therefore, directed towards smaller producers with quotas of less than 100,000 litres (22,000 gallons) who are committed to dairy farming. The level of subsidy is 50 pence per gallon.
Elligible criteria:
- Producer with quotas below 100,000 litres.
- Income of producer and partners below £15,000 of which at least £10,000 must come from agriculture.
- Producers whose stocking density is below 1.4 LU/Hectare.
- Producers must remain in milk production.
For further Details please contact:
Local Farm Development Service Office.
3. Producer Groups
Funds are available to assist the formation of producer groups as an encouragement to farmers to join together in a united effort to promote and market their produce. Applications may be made by groups representing the sheepmeat, cereals, beef, potatoes, pigmeat, farmhouse cheese, live plants and horticultural products and live farmed deer sectors.
The scheme provides for grant aid towards the cost of formation and operating expenses of producers groups with aid levels of up to 5% of the value of the produce marketed through the group.
The scheme was suspended in August 1996 when all funds had been allocated.
For further Details please contact:
Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Food,
Agriculture House,
Kildare Street,
Dublin 2.
Tel: (01) 678 9011
4. Improvement of Cattle Breeding Infrastructures
This sub-measure provides support for the establishment of a National Cattle Breeding Organisation and the integration and co-ordination of the various cattle breeding activities. This organisation will be representative of all the bodies involved in cattle breeding. Breeding policy and broad strategy and plans for implementation of policy will be decided by the organisation. In addition, it will co-ordinate and support the activities of the various bodies. Standardised recording and testing procedures will be followed and data will be handled and processed in a co-ordinated and integrated way through a new National Cattle Breeding Database/Network.
For further Details please contact:
Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Food,
Agriculture House,
Kildare Street,
Dublin 2.
Tel: (01) 678 9011
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Farm Diversification
This measure contains 7 sub-measures:
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Compensatory Headage Allowances
The objective of these schemes is to provide a reasonable level of income for farmers where natural production conditions are least favourable so as to conserve the countryside by the prevention of further depopulation of rural areas. Compensatory allowances are payable to farmers for the keeping of cattle, equines, sheep and goats.
For further Details please contact:
Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry,
Headage Division,
Michael Davitt House,
Castlebar,
Co. Mayo.
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Advisory Services
Teagasc (The Agriculture and Food Development Authority) provides advisory services in two E.U. funded areas:
- A Farm Viability Service which deals specifically with small farmers, especially those with viability problems
- A Rural Enterprise Scheme which provides an integrated advisory and promotional programme for rural people, aimed at diversification of farm production, establishment of alternative enterprises and other rural businesses and the initiation of area-based rural development programmes.
For further Details please contact:
Teagasc,
Agriculture and Food Development Authority,
19 Sandymount Avenue,
Dublin 4.
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Research
This is divided into two sub-measures:
- Research in Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development.
- Research Stimulus Fund.
This measure will be operated by Teagasc.
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Human Resources
This comprises two sub-measures:
- General Training for Agriculture and Rural Development Training courses, both full-time and part-time are offered to prospective farmers, established farmers, rural dwellers and women. Courses are undertaken by Teagasc and vocational training agencies (FÁS, CERT, VE.C.s, etc...)
- Training for the Horse Industry An International Equine Institute is being established at the University of Limerick. It will run continuing education programmes to certificate and diploma levels. The programme will cater for a wide range farmers, breeders and other rural dwellers involved in the industry who require additional education and training.
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Forestry Second Instalment Grants
This is grants scheme to complete the second instalment of payments already made under previous E.U. funded schemes of grant aid for afforestation, woodland improvement and reconstitution. These were payable in two installments - 75% in year one and 25% four years later. The second installment is payable only on condition that the platations have adequately protected and all work carried out.
For further Details please contact:
Forestry Service,
Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry,
Kildare Street,
Dublin 2.
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Forestry Development
Woodland Improvement:
* Improve the overall quality of the total forest estate by encouraging the improvement of neglected and low quality broadleaf and coniferous woodland.
* Promote economic and social development through the provision of amenity and urban woodland.
* Facilitate the planned recreational forestry developments.
The grant rate under this scheme is the cost of the work, subject to the following maximum rates per hectare:
* Improvement of degraded or neglected woodland - £2,000 for Broadleafs and £1,000 for conifers.
* The development of amenity and urban woodland - up to £3,000.
* The provision of facilities and infrastructure in planned recreational forests - up to £1,000.
Reconstitution
This scheme is designed to provide encouragement to farmers and others for the re-establishment of plantations damaged by fire, wind-blow, disease or other natural causes such as frost.
The grant rate is the cost of the work carried out subject to a maximum grant of £1,300/ha for conifers and £2,400/ha for broadleafs paid in two instalments. The ratio of conifers to broadleafs is 90% to 10%.
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Forestry Support
The following measures have been designed to contribute to the development of the forestry sector:
- Aid for associations of persons exploiting woodland.
- Studies, projects and initiatives designed to develop the forestry sector, woodland promotion, alternative timber use, product development and promoting synergy between forestry and other areas.
- Nurseries - investment in improved and innovating plant production techniques.
- Forestry inventory.
- Promotion of wood-based furniture.
Levels of aid from 40% in the case of nurseries to 66% in the case of commercial projects and up to 100% in the case of non-commercial projects.
Harvesting
This is a scheme to encourage investment in cost efficient harvesting machinery, targeted at Forestry Contracting Companies. The rate of grant aid is up to 40% of overall investment.
Forest Roads
The objective of this scheme is to allow access for plantation development, maintenance and fire protection and to facilitate efficient timber extraction. The measure is targeted at forest owners and the grant is 80% of costs to a limit of £14 per linear metre.
Publicity/Awareness
This measure will aim to encourage involvement in forestry development by supporting:
- Awarenes/publicity campaigns promoting forestry.
- Seminars, talks and presentations by forestry officials.
- Planting demonstrations.
- Promotional literature etc.
Research and Development
This measure aims to:
- Provide and expand research and training facilities related to the development of the timber chain.
- Provide support for research and back-up to afforestation and wood processing programmes.
- The continuation of COFORD's activities in research.
Grant rates will vary depending on the recpient and nature of the project.
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Forestry Human Resources
This comprises two sub-measures:
- General Training for Agriculture and Rural Development Training courses, both full-time and part-time are offered to prospective farmers, established farmers, rural dwellers and women. Courses are undertaken by Teagasc and vocational training agencies (FÁS, CERT, VE.C.s, etc...).
- Training for the Horse Industry An International Equine Institute is being established at the University of Limerick. It will run continuing education programmes to certificate and diploma levels. The programme will cater for a wide range farmers, breeders and other rural dwellers involved in the industry who require additional education and training.
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