Analysis Projects 54,000 REPS Participants in 2006
Issued 24 October, 2002
The number of farmers participating in the Rural Environment Protection Scheme (REPS) is projected to increase from 37,000 at present to 54,000 by 2006, according to an analysis by a leading Teagasc environmentalist.
Sean Regan, Chief Environment Adviser with Teagasc, said that while there are 71,000 additional farmers capable of joining REPS, only a maximum of 25% of these can be expected to join the scheme over the next four years. Aspects such as age, marital status, small farm size and other sources of income will be major factors in non-participation.
Addressing the Teagasc National REPS Conference in Tullamore, Sean Regan said that the biggest potential for increased participation is on beef and sheep farms. He projected that up to 10,000 beef farmers and 3,000 sheep farmers could join the scheme by 2006.
While there are around 5,500 tillage farmers still not participating in REPS, many of these are operating large tillage enterprises and are unlikely to be attracted into the scheme. A maximum of 1,000 are likely to join over the next four years, according to Sean Regan.
He said smaller-scale dairy farmers would reap substantial economic benefits from REPS. Many of these have relatively low stocking densities and are currently applying more nitrogen than is necessary for optimal production. He projects that up to 4,000 of these dairy farmers could be attracted into the scheme.
"Overall, the analysis projects up to an additional 18,000 participants by 2006. This is an optimistic assessment and is contingent on a number of changes in the scheme."
"The changes announced this week by the Minister for Agriculture and Food, particularly in relation to verification of land ownership, are likely to have a positive impact. Other changes in the EU mid-term review of the scheme, such as front-loading of REPS payments to smallholders, would also have a significant effect on participation levels," he said.
The Teagasc farm income survey shows that 37,600 farmers were paid €158 per hectare under REPS in 2001. The payment, which is aimed at covering the costs of implementing a comprehensive environmental programme, is made on a maximum of 40 hectares per farm.
The survey shows that average income on REPS farms in 2001 was €413 per hectare. The income on the 71,000 similarly stocked non-REPS farms was €377 per hectare. A further group of 11,500 intensively-run farms had an income of €946 per hectare. The vast majority of these are dairy farmers, who experienced a particularly good year in 2001.
Sean Regan said that while the income gap between REPS and similarly stocked non-REPS farms had narrowed in 2001, there are still significant advantages from participation in the environmental scheme.
"Farmyard investment on the extensively-run farms not involved in REPS dropped by half in 2001, to €25 per hectare. This indicates the very tight financial position of these farmers, particularly those involved in beef. In contrast, farmers involved in REPS spent almost €50 per hectare on their farmyards in 2001," he said.
"In spite of the negative impact of inflation on REPS payments in recent years, the scheme is still attractive, especially in the context of low income levels in beef and sheep production," he added.
Sean Regan urged caution on re-balancing REPS payments in favour of habitat enhancement and creation. The National Biodiversity Plan, published last April, called for conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity as a priority in any future revision of REPS.
"While it is important that the biodiversity measures in REPS should be upgraded, this should not be at the expense of a dilution of the water quality protection measures. If the focus of the scheme is made too narrow, it could become the preserve of the few. This could impact severely on participation levels and curtail the potential environmental benefits of REPS," he said
The complete proceedings from the National REPS Conference, 24 October, 2002 are now available. Click here
