Despite assurances, GAEC 2 is still striking fear and overwhelming anxiety into farmers

Independent TD for Offaly Carol Nolan has said she is still being contacted on a routine basis by farmers “who are living in daily fear” about the impact of restrictions related to GAEC 2 (Good Agricultural and Environmental Condition) which is a mandatory condition of the payment of the Basic Income Support for farmers (BISS).

This is despite repeated assurances by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine that GAEC 2 does not impact on the day-to-day activities on land parcels.

Deputy Nolan has been raising concerns about the content of GAEC since 2022, when as part of a series of replies to parliamentary questions to then Minister for Agriculture, Charlie McConalogue, it was confirmed to her that proposals were being examined which included recommending a ban on ploughing and the use of minimum till/no till cultivation techniques on carbon rich soils:

“I have been highlighting the deep-rooted fears that farmers have held with respect to GAEC for a number of years now, and I have to say that nothing from the department in terms of its soothing words around a lack of impact has been accepted.”

“There is quite simply no trust that the current mapping or assessment methodology will do anything but create deeply adverse economic conditions for farmers who have peaty land.”

“The evidence I have for that is that farmers are still coming to me who are making appeals regarding the categorisation of some of their land parcels as GAEC 2. Many of these are herdowners who contend that the maps and categorisation of the land parcels are incorrect.”

“The sense remains for many that the correct balance has not been struck. That the entire roll-out of GAEC 2 has been an object lesson in poor communication and implementation.”

“This is to say nothing of the fact that in my constituency, I’ve met farmers who’ve spent endless hours filling out forms for the Basic Income Support for Sustainability, only to find their payments delayed or reduced because of some minor error. This isn’t support; it’s sabotage.”

“The fact of the matter is we have schemes like GAEC 2 that continue to strike fear into the hearts of famers that are designed by EU and national bureaucrats who wouldn’t know a silage pit from a slurry tank,” concluded Deputy Nolan.