REPS Major Contributor to Farm Income - Teagasc

The REPS scheme has been a major contributor to farm income for participating farmers, according to Teagasc’s Head of REPs, Mr. Eugene Ryan at the Teagasc National REPS Conference in Tullamore today (November 4th). In 2004 ˆ209m was spent supporting the scheme nationally.  At the beginning of 2005 there were approximately 43,000 participating in REPS with 29% in REPS 3.  At the end of 2005 over 50,000 are expected to be participating.

The take up of the scheme has been highest in areas of extensive farming with drystock systems accounting for almost 74% of farms participating in REPS. 

“REPS contributes on average, an increase in income of ˆ2,633 over non REPS participants for mainly sheep systems,” said Mr. Ryan. REPS 3 will end towards the latter part of 2006 and while there is a commitment to the REPS scheme in the Rural Development Plan for 2007-2013 the level of funding has not been finalised.  The terms and conditions of the new scheme will be influenced greatly by the introduction of the Nitrates Directive and the Cross Compliance requirements.  Current REPS standards will, by and large, become normal farming requirements.

“REPS 4 will be expected to deliver more to the environment in terms of biodiversity and environmental enhancement than the previous three schemes. The financial incentives for farmers must be sufficient to encourage them to restrict their farming intensity and practices to comply with the conditions.  Greater encouragement should be given to organic farming and the possibility of a labelling system for farm produce produced from REPS farms should be a consideration,” said Mr. Ryan.

“National and European agricultural policy requires within it, the incorporation of bio-diversity and environmental enhancement.  The more

commercial farming systems must be enticed into the scheme, as these are the areas of greatest need for environmental protection.  High Nature Value farming, around which adequate financial supports are structured, will enable the extensive and largely uneconomic farming systems of marginal areas to continue.  This in turn will assist sustainability of the socio-economic fabric of rural communities” he concluded.