Recently we interviewed Tom Power a registered REPS planner to get his view on REPS.

Tom Power works in Terrance Morrissey and Associates an agricultural advisory firm based in Dungarvan in Co. Waterford. There are a total of 3 planners working in the office preparing REPS plans.

This article is the third in a series of articles on REPS: An Introductions to REPS, Farming in REPS, REPS 4: A Planners View and REPS: An Overview

Most of the farmers they work for are farming in Co. Waterford along with quite a few in Kerry. They also have prepared plans for farmers throughout most of Munster, along with parts of Kilkenny and Offaly. “Up to recently most of the REPS farmers on our books would have been light on stocking rates mainly tillage, cattle and sheep farmers. However since the introduction of REPS 4 and with the limit for stocking rates increased, the type of farmer on our books has started to change. We have a lot more dairy farmers now getting into REPS for the first time,” says Tom.

With the introduction of REPS4 the scheme has become open to everyone, even the most intensive farmer can now join REPS. In REPS3 a farmers was allowed 170kgN/HA which is the equivalent to 2 dairy cows/Ha, to go beyond that a farmer has to apply for annual nitrates derogation but in the past this meant he was excluded from joining REPS. The limits are now increased and a farmer can now have a stocking rate of 250kgN/Ha, the equivalent of 3 dairy cows/Ha and join REPS4.

Some of the factors which influenced a farmers decision when joining REPS was the level of additional work and facilities required on the farm to make the farm REPS compliant, according to Tom. One of the biggest stumbling blocks in the past was the pollution control measures required. For example in Co. Waterford farmers were required to have a minimum of 16 weeks slurry storage for all animals on the farm. Some farms didn’t have this amount of storage and the cost of providing it outweighed the advantage of joining REPS. However since the 1^st January  2009 all farmers, whether in REPS or not, have to by law, have sufficient storage for slurry and farmyard manure. The length of the storage period ranges from 16 weeks, as in the case of Co. Waterford and other counties in the south and east up to 22 weeks in the case of counties like Cavan and Monaghan. These regulations are now the same for all farmers, as the REPS directives are the same as the nitrates directive. This has made REPS more achievable to farmers in general, as not having adequate pollution control in order is no longer acceptable. Other items which some farmers find a bit onerous are the more expensive additional items which may be required, like the planting of trees, creating a habitat or fencing off watercourses. “Some farmers might feel that the return they get from REPS might not justify the work involved but in general we find that farmers do benefit from the scheme. Of course some farmers have a farm which is well setup for REPS, they have the place tidy and have the pollution control in order and they don’t have to invest much time or money to get up to REPS standard. Other farmers however may have a lot more to do, it depends on the farm and the farmer” says Tom.

Items to consider before joining.

There are 11 different measures in REPS which have to be followed. Measure 1 which is pollution control, as mentioned above is now covered by the nitrates directive.  Grassland farmers then need to watch and ensure that there is no poaching of land by the livestock. Rivers and watercourses need to be fenced off 1.5m back from the bank, if required, it is possible to still allow drinking points for animals. Any habitat on the farm has to be retained but again under the single farm payments this is a requirement anyway so it is not solely a REPS issue. All farmers have to maintain a 1.5m margin around the headland of each field. No ploughing, sowing spraying or fertiliser can be carried out within this margin. The ditch, hedge, stonewall etc. are classified as a habitat and have to be retained. Archaeological features on the farm have to be retained, e.g. ring forts, standing stones. The farm yard has to be kept tidy at all times, plastic wrapping twines etc all need to be stored safely. Tillage farmers can’t burn straw or stubble. And all farmers have to follow the fertiliser plan set out in the guidelines.

Training

Farmers joining REPS will also have to attend a training course. In REPS 3 the course was a 20 hour course, the course included watching a DVD, some tuition and a farm visit to see all the measures in practice on the ground. The REPS4 course will involve the same structure however it will be completed in 10 hours run over a number of days.

REPS 3 v REPS 4

One of the main differences from REPS3 to REPS4 was the increase in the payment which was up by 17% from REPS3 to REPS4, however this was reduced again in the recent budget to the same level as REPS3 payments. The other main difference was the increased stocking rate which has allowed more intensive farmers to join. The chemical nitrogen allowance has been increased considerably from REPS3 to REPS4. In REPS3 a farmer stocked at 170kgN/HA was only allowed to spread 90kgs/ha of chemical nitrogen whereas the same farmer in REPS4 is allowed 170kgs/ha which is almost double the previous limits. The other measures are similar across both schemes.

Are farmers moving from REPS3 to REPS4? Tom says, “No we have very few farmers moving from REPS3 to REPS4. We had a few who moved to get the extra money, however that has been knocked on the head now. We have a few who moved due to the change in the stocking rates, these were farmers who were keeping their stocking rates low just to be in REPS but now they are pushing on their stocking rates, going for derogation and joining REPS4″

Advise to a farmer considering joining REPS.

“You have to have sufficient slurry capacity for the storage period. This is essential. If the farm is a bit untidy you do have the first year to get it cleaned up. All boundary fences have to be made stock proof within the first year and field gates put hanging. You will then have to pick your biodiversity options from the list of 26 items available. You will have to pick one option from category 1 and one from category 2 and then depending on the level of existing habitat and other items, you may have to pick further biodiversity options. These are the main items that the farmer should consider before deciding to join REPS,” says Tom. (see table 1 below for summary of the biodiversity options).

Before joining REPS farmers should take the time to plan what expansion they hope to implement over the next five years in their farm enterprise. It is important that they tell the planner of these plans that way the REPS plan can be drawn up in such a way as to limit, as much as possible, any restriction it may have on this expansion.

REPS Biodiversity Options

Farm Inspections

Tom advises farmers in REPS to make a concerted effort to tidy up the farmyard and keep it tidy. He says first impressions are always important and if an inspector arrives into the farmyard and finds that it not kept clean and tidy then he will be more inclined to go through the farm in every detail to see where the REPS guidelines have been breached. However, if the inspector can get out of the car and walk around the yard in his shoes then you will be off to a good start on the inspection.

To avoid getting penalties on the REPS payment the farmer, once he has received his plan from the advisor, should go through it in detail with the advisor. The plan sets out for five years what the farmer has to do in each year. If the farmers follows the plan and he has the tasks completed by the time set out in the plan, then there will be no problems with REPS penalties or any inspection.

Planner Issues.

The main problem, from a planner’s point of view, with REPS4 is that the specification which they are working from is out of date. “The specification was drawn up in 2007 and although we have been informed that a new specification is due out in mid May, we have no option but to work from the current specification. However the problem is that the department are not accepting some of the items which are submitted in accordance with this specification as they are stating that it does not comply with the new specification, which, as of yet, has not been issued. This situation needs to be resolved” says Tom.

The forth, and final, article in the series, REPS: An Overview, explores REPS from the perspective of the Department of Agriculture, Food & Fisheries.