Is redefining ‘farmer’ the key to unlocking forestry?
The government’s Forestry Programme contains a “bespoke farmer definition” to qualify for payments “to reduce the administrative burden on farmers when applying for forestry”.
That was one of the key messages from Barry Delany, director of forestry, Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) at the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Agriculture and Food today (April 22).
Delany also set out to senators and TDs the exact definition of a farmer today.
Delany said: “Going forward, a farmer must have passed the department’s active farmer check and must have received a valid payment under the Basic Income Support for Sustainability (BISS) scheme prior to the completion of the planting of their forest to be eligible to receive forestry premiums for a period of 20 years.
“Farmers who take over a forestry contract are no longer required to be engaged in farming on at least three hectares in the state, as this requirement was not aligned with conditions that apply under BISS.
“To qualify for BISS, a farmer must have at least one eligible hectare of land.”
He added that the Forestry Programme “contains its own bespoke farmer definition because, under current Afforestation Scheme rules, farmers are entitled to 20 years of premium payments following the planting of their forests compared to 15 years for non-farmers”.
State aid rules
Delany told senators and TDs: “As we are bound by state aid rules, it will not be possible to retrospectively apply the new farmer definition, and the new definition will not have any impact on existing afforestation contracts between the forest owner and the department.”
“We believe that this measure will contribute to making forestry a more attractive land use option for farmers and reduce the red tape for anyone who is taking over a forestry contract.”
‘Reduce the red tape’
He also told the the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Agriculture and Food: “The requirement for simplification on the definition of a farmer in order to secure the attractive 20 years premium is a result from the outcomes of the recently completed mid-term review of the current Forestry Programme.
“The feedback received from stakeholders and farmer organisations in particular and their registered foresters indicated that the previous process was too onerous for farmers.
“The purpose of this change was to reduce the administrative burden on farmers when applying for forestry but also ensuring that we still have a protective mechanism in place.”
