Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Senator Pippa Hackett):

This year’s budget comes at a difficult time for us all. As we cope with Covid-19 and face the possibility of a hard Brexit, we must ensure that our recovery, when it comes, focuses on sustainability and on the environmental commitments contained within the programme for Government. The EU Green Deal and its recent strategies on farm to fork and biodiversity copperfasten this resolve. As Minister of State with responsibility for land use and biodiversity, I am particularly proud to see that so many important measures provided for in the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine’s budgetary allocation will stimulate nature-friendly farming practices and will encourage and incentivise farmers to do what they can to enhance their land while also producing high quality food.

Farmers know more than anyone that climate change and biodiversity loss have a direct impact on their farms' viability. They know that the future of food production depends on having a healthy environment in which to farm. I am delighted that the ring-fenced €23 million from the carbon tax along with additional funding which has been announced by the Minister, Deputy McConalogue, will be allocated to a range of new pilot environmental measures which will include aspects such as habitat creation, pasture management for biodiversity, and re-wetting. This funding will contribute to the development of a pilot scheme to encourage environmental action from farmers who are not currently part of GLAS and to a number of pilot environmental actions that will be available to farmers on a broader basis. Importantly, these pilot actions will inform the development of a major new flagship environmental scheme for agriculture following on from the GLAS scheme.

In addition, I have secured more than €100 million for forestry. This is a sector we simply must get moving again. I know that 2020 has been a disappointing year in reaching our afforestation targets. Much of this was related to delays in issuing licences which we are addressing. I am conscious that the Department has invested heavily in additional resources to work systematically through the backlog of forestry applications. We are now well-placed to accept new applications.

This budget also provides funding for a range of other actions which will mobilise the private timber resource, promote timber products, and support the role of Teagasc in advising forest owners. However, I want to emphasise that I am ambitious for forestry and for a new and better way of doing it. I want to see many more farmers getting involved and thinking “tree” and I intend that the transitional measures which we will roll out in advance of a new forestry programme will encourage them to do so. My vision is for a forestry programme which will encourage planting diversity, action on climate, and improvements in environmental and biodiversity outcomes while also supporting a healthy industry. I intend that the funding in this budget will support the schemes and incentives which put us on that path.

It is also significant to see progress in funding for horticulture which has seen an increase of 50% to €9 million. The potential in this sector from import substitution and exploring new markets is immense. This allocation will support current producers and I hope will attract many more new growers.

I am also delighted to announce a 33% increase in the budget for the organic farming scheme. Funding for this scheme has been increased to almost €16 million, up from €12 million last year. Other supports for the organic sector include €1.2 million provided for investment in organic processing and a €1 million development fund for the organic sector itself, bringing the overall investment in the budget for the sector to €18.2 million. This funding will allow us to reopen the organic farming scheme which will increase the number of organic farmers in Ireland by more than 30% by the end of next year. This is a major milestone and a real vote of confidence by this Government in the implementation of our national organic strategy. It is also a significant first step in our commitment to increase the area of land under organic production.

European innovation partnership, EIP, schemes have been a great success and I want to see some smaller scaled versions focusing largely on biodiversity. As such, I am pleased to announce €1.25 million for initiatives where land is managed or farmed using nature-based processes. I am also very happy with the €14 million allocation for biodiversity training along with the health and safety training for farmers.

Finally, if we are going to make real progress, farmers and policymakers will need a full understanding of what we have to work with and of what is possible. That is why the €10 million funding for a national soil-sampling programme and the €5 million for a study on farm biodiversity are so important. As important are the allocations for a national land use review and a feasibility study on the markets for wool products. All of these measures are programme for Government commitments and I look forward to engaging with farmers, NGOs, environmentalists and with communities as through them we will design a better, nature-friendly future for farming.

Finally, I congratulate the Minister, Deputy McConalogue, for his work in securing this budgetary allocation for 2021 and I am confident that together with Minister of State, Deputy Heydon, we can deliver a programme of activities in 2021 which will meet our commitments. We look forward to utilising this funding to its fullest potential. I commend this budget to the House.

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