Farmers get €61m in waste grants
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KERRY farmers have received over €61 million in waste management grants over the past five years — €13 million of which was paid out in the first three weeks of 2010 alone.
According to figures released by the Department of Agriculture, payments totalling more than €61 million were issued here since 2006 under the Farm Waste Management Scheme. In that time, 3,167 Kerry farmers have benefited under the scheme, making it the most significant on-farm investment scheme in the history of the State.
In the first three weeks of this year, 881 Kerry farmers received almost €13 million in respect of the second instalment of grant payments under the scheme.
The Farm Waste Management Scheme aims to facilitate the management of farm waste by providing grant aid to farmers for investments in storage facilities for silage and agricultural wastes, animal housing and equipment for the application of farm waste.
The principal objective of the scheme is to assist farmers meet new requirements under the European Communities (Good Agricultural Practice for Protection of Waters) Regulations 2005. It also provides grant-aid for facilities for the collection and storage of animal excreta, soiled water and other farmyard manures and related facilities, together with new equipment for the application of same to farmland.
According to Junior Agriculture Minister, Tony Killeen, the scheme represents essential infrastructural investment in the Irish rural economy and ensures the protection of the single farm payment and other EU funding worth €1.6 billion annually euro to Irish farmers.
- MARISA REIDY
