25th September, 2013

The Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmer’s Association has emphasised the need to continue a meaningful agri-environmental scheme into next year, to cater for the thousands of farmers exiting REPS 4 this year.

ICSA president Gabriel Gilmartin said, “ICSA has persistently lobbied for a robust agri-environment scheme, a vital support for less profitable cattle and sheep farms. Environmental measures are considered to be of ever-increasing importance at EU level, so I am extremely disappointed that the Minister has not seen fit to keep a support scheme in place next year to facilitate farming to a high environmental standard.”

“The AEOS scheme was not enough to constitute a real support for farms but it was better than nothing. I consider the lack of any agri-environment option for those exiting REPS 4 this year to be an extremely short-sighted move.”