Rural Environmental Protection Scheme
Information
The Rural Environmental Protection Scheme (REPS) is an income support scheme for farmers run by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. Since July 2009, REPS has been closed to new entrants. However, all of the participants who entered in 2009 will remain in it for the full 5 years.
The Agri-Environment Options Scheme (AEOS) was set up in 2010 to replace REPS. Applications for the 2011 scheme are now open - the closing date is 16 May 2011.
The aims of the REPS scheme are to:
- Establish farming practices and production methods which reflect the concern for conservation and landscape protection
- Protect wildlife habitats and endangered species of flora and fauna
- Produce quality food in an environmentally friendly manner.
The Scheme is made up of 3 elements
1. A General Programme, which consists of
- A set of 11 basic measures which are compulsory with regard to the entire farm holding
- Two biodiversity options from a list of 16
- Additional compulsory undertakings (Measure A) if the farmer has target land in areas designated as environmentally sensitive (see below)
2. Target land outside the REPS Programme. This provision allows farmers who have some target area land but who do not participate in the General REPS Programme to operate Measure A on their target area land. The target land in this case does not include commonage.
3. Supplementary measures can be undertaken by farmers taking part in the General REPS Programme. If you are in the General REPS Programme, you can receive extra money for up to two supplementary measures.
Rules
General REPS Programme
If you want to take part in the General REPS Programme, you must:
- Be farming at least 3 hectares or 1 hectare in the case of small-scale organic or vegetable producers
- Undertake to implement the General REPS programme measures
- Include all of the land farmed by you in an agri-environmental plan
- Submit an application accompanied by an agri-environmental plan prepared by an approved planner/planning agency describing the measures to be carried out over the period of the plan.
- Carry out farming activities for a 5-year period in accordance with the abover agri-environmental plan
- Have your land included on the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine's IACS database by making an Area Aid application.
You must comply with 11 basic measures over the 5-year period of the programme as follows:
- Follow a farm nutrient management plan prepared for the total area of the farm.
- Adopt a grassland management plan that avoids soil erosion, poaching and overgrazing
- Protect and maintain watercourses and wells
- Retain wildlife habitats like woodlands, wetlands and natural and semi-natural vegetation
- Maintain farm and field boundaries
- Stop using herbicides or pesticides and fertilisers in or around rivers, lakes, ponds, streams and hedgerows, except with specific approval
- Protect any features of historical or archaeological interest
- Maintain and improve the visual appearance of the farm and farmyard
- Produce tillage crops leaving a specified field margin uncultivated and without burning straw or stubble
- Become familiar with environmentally-friendly farming practice
- Prepare, monitor and update the agri-environmental plan and keep such farm and environmental records as may be prescribed.
You are obliged to carry out your farming activity in accordance with farming conditions relevant to land classification. This means that maximum levels of various chemicals are set and you must abide by various rules about waste.
Measure A - target areas
If you are taking part in the General REPS Programme and you have target land, you must also implement Measure A. The goal of this measure is to provide a wide-ranging approach to the conservation and/or regeneration of certain target areas.
The target areas are:
- Natural Heritage Areas (NHAs) proposed or designated by the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government.
- NATURA 2000 Sites - these are farmland-based Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) or Special Protection Areas (SPAs). SACs are designated by EU Directive 92/43/EEC on the Conservation of Natural Habitats and SPAs are designated under Council Directive 79/409/EEC on the protection of Wild Birds
- Commonages
If you have land in the target areas, you have to comply with certain requirements. You must draw up plans with an approved planner and an environmentalist for your target area land. The plan must cover such matters as conservation, environmental protection measures and stocking regimes.
You must also comply with the specific requirements of NHAs, SACs and SPAs. In addition, there are also special rules for the conservation of certain habitats like the Burren and blanket bogs.
Target lands outside the General REPS programme
If you have target land other than commonage and you don't want to apply for the general REPS programme, you may get some assistance in respect of the target land only.
Supplementary measures
You can undertake any or all of the following supplementary measures. If you are in the general REPS Programme, you can receive extra payment on up to two supplementary measures.
The measures are:
- Corncrake habitats
- Traditional Irish orchards
- Rearing animals of local breeds in danger of extinction
- Long-term set-aside (20 years) - Riparian Zones
- LINNET ((Land Invested in Nature, Natural Eco - Tillage) habitats
- Organic farming
There are detailed rules about each of these measures.
Training under REPS
The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, in conjunction with other Government departments, organises training courses for REPS planners and farmers. Farmers must attend approved education courses and such courses must last for at least 20 hours.
Rates
General REPS Programme
| Eligible Non-Target Land | €200 per hectare for the first 20 hectares |
| €175 per hectare for the next 20 hectares | |
| €70 per hectare for the next 15 hectares | |
| €10 per hectare for remaining hectares |
Measure A
| Eligible Target Land | €242 per hectare for the first 40 hectares |
| €24 per hectare for the next 40 hectares | |
| €18 per hectare for the next 40 hectares | |
| €5 per hectare for remaining hectares |
Supplementary measures
| Corncrake habitat | An additional €100 per hectare |
| Traditional Irish orchard | €150 per orchard |
| Rare breeds | €200 per qualifying livestock unit |
| Long-term set-aside | €724.5 per hectare up to a maximum of 2.5 hectares |
| LINNET habitat | €700 for the first hectare and €400 for the next 1.5 hectares (maximum 2.5 hectares) |
| Organic farming (over 3 hectares) | €181 per hectare in conversion up to 55 hectares; €30 per hectare in conversion for areas over to 55 hectares; €91 per hectare fully converted (i.e. with organic status) up to 55 hectares and €30 per hectare fully converted for areas over 55 hectares |
| Organic farming (between 1 and 3 hectares) | €242 per hectare in conversion up to three hectares; €121 per hectare fully converted. |
How to apply
Since July 2009, REPS has been closed to new entrants. However, all of the participants who entered in 2009 will remain in it for the full 5 years.
Further information and application forms will be published on the website of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. You can also contact your local office of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine or of Teagasc.
Language
Related Documents
- Farm Retirement Scheme
Overview of the EU subsidised scheme that provides for a farm retirement pension to be paid to farmers aged 55 and over, encouraging them to retire from farming and make their land available to younger farmers. - Environmental protection of nature and biodiversity
A range of Irish and EU legislation aims to ensure biodiversity by conserving natural habitats and wild fauna and flora. - Budget 2009
Budget 2009 was announced on 14 October 2008. Summary of the main changes.
Contact Us
If you have a question relating to this topic you can contact the Citizens Information Phone Service on 0761 07 4000 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 9pm) or you can visit your local Citizens Information Centre.