DAERA have two important deadlines for farmers, food producers and event organisers to comply with.
Showcasing quality rural food has received a boost with the opening of a £300,000 fund announced by Agriculture Minister, Edwin Poots with a deadline for applications closing on February 22.
DAERA also announced that views on the Future Agricultural Policy Proposals for NI close a week earlier on February 15 with details at the end of this article.
The Northern Ireland Regional Food Programme (NIRFP) is for the promotion of local food and drink products at regional fairs and exhibitions, seminars/workshops and information programmes.
The Minister said: “This is an important funding programme for our food and drink sector as it continues on the path to recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic. The programme encourages collaboration between all sectors and representative bodies within the local food industry through financial support to help showcase quality regional food.
“I am delighted that this year we are again able to offer funding for activities that would support a generic agri-food promotion campaign, building on the successes achieved in 2021. Promotional activities will cover all sectors of the NI food industry highlighting the quality, sustainability and reputation of the food that is produced on local farms.”
The programme opened in Tuesday, February 1 2022 and closes at noon on February 22. Applications are invited from not-for-profit groups and regional development agencies as well as registered charities.
Successful applications to the Programme can obtain up to 40% financial contributions on eligible project expenditure for regional fairs/exhibitions, seminars/workshops, information programmes and 80% for the generic agri-food sector promotional campaign. An application form for funding can be downloaded from: https://www.daera-ni.gov.uk/articles/northern-ireland-regional-food-programme
Meanwhile DAERA explained that the within their consultation document for Future Agricultural Policy Proposals for NI, there is a resilience payment which they now want views on.
A simple, area-based income (resilience) payment is proposed, to provide a safety net for farm business, progressing down to a level which does not blunt innovation and productivity but also delivering foundation environmental outcomes. It is proposed that this will be a “gateway” support scheme, and those wishing to apply to most of the other support measures, must first meet the criteria of this Scheme. The funding for this proposed resilience measure will be lower than the current Basic Payment Scheme both to mitigate the negative consequences and to enable funding to be diverted to other measures.
It is proposed that the Resilience Payment will be area based with entitlements; eligible to all land based agriculture and horticulture farm businesses. The current proposal is broadly that all farmland, except for hard features, will be eligible. This would extend the area of eligible land by approximately 40,000 ha or 4% compared with the current position. No re-basing of entitlements is being considered, but the Department is giving consideration to restricting the allocation of entitlements which met reference criteria in a historic year, such as cattle or sheep registered on APHIS; and/or had at least three hectares of an arable or horticultural crop. This will ensure that only active farmers (defined as an applicant who has the decision-making powers, benefits and financial risks of the agricultural activity being undertaken) receive a Resilience Payment by removing businesses solely engaged in grass selling and maintenance of land in Good Agricultural and Environmental Condition Requirements (GAEC).
The Department is also proposing upper and lower thresholds for the Resilience Payment in keeping with its policy rationale. Progressive or tiered capping is proposed above £60,000 and it is proposed that applicants should have a minimum claim size of 10ha. Applicants must also meet a set of conditions to address the key outcome of improved environmental sustainability, these include: participation in soil testing, including Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR), preparing a nutrient management plan and recording of sire data on APHIS/NIFAIS of all calves born for both dairy and beef herds to assist the implementation of the planned Livestock Genetics and Data programme.
In addition, farmers must comply with new Farm Sustainability Standards to replace cross compliance.
(Source – Impartial Reporter – Farming – Brian Donaldson – 07/02/2022)
Views Sought On Farming For Nature
Northern Ireland‘s Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) is seeking views on the proposed ‘Farming for Nature Package’ element of its Future Agricultural Policy proposals, which are up for public consultation.
The consultation closes on Tuesday, February 15.
Speaking about the proposals, agriculture and environment minister Edwin Poots said:
“The environmental challenges that need to be tackled in Northern Ireland are substantial. There are, however, significant opportunities for farmers and land managers to make vital positive contributions to delivering positive environmental outcomes moving forward, and to be properly recognised by society for doing so.
“I have proposed a Farming for Nature Package that could be used to support farmers across all land types to make substantial contributions to environmental improvements and sustainability, while continuing to pursue increased productivity and improved resilience within an effective functioning supply chain.”
The following principles are proposed in the development of a Farming for Nature Package:
- Schemes that are scalable and strategically focussed in terms of their objectives, delivering environmental outcomes at a landscape scale, recognising ecological connectivity;
- Environmental payments will, as far as possible, seek to recognise and reward the public goods provided by farmers and land managers;
- A move to outcome based schemes, designed to be delivered by farmers using the knowledge and expertise that they have acquired to achieve the desired outcomes. However, activity based prescription actions may still have a place in future scheme design;
- Schemes could be incentivised to encourage participants to work collaboratively, with assistance from facilitators and advisers;
- Finally, that robust monitoring and evaluation of scheme performance will be essential to ensure that the desired outcomes are being achieved.
“It is proposed that the Farming for Nature Package will encompass a number of bespoke support schemes that will be available depending on the type of land managed,” Poots continued.
“Over time, increasing levels of funding will move from the Resilience Payment to the Farming for Nature Package as momentum builds and it will form the central plank of agricultural support. The aim is to ensure that the environment becomes both an enterprise and a profit centre on farms.
“The initial focus of the Farming for Nature Package is proposed to be on actions to maintain and improve biodiversity at farm and landscape level.
“A number of proposals, for example around hedgerow management, the restoration of dry stone walls, field margins, buffer strips and trees, are contained in the consultation document.”
Responses and views can be submitted via the DAERA website.
(Source – Agriland – Michelle Martin – 09/02/2022)