Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Question 202: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will clarify whether the growing of willow crops for energy production is classified as an agricultural or forestry activity; his views on the ten metre boundary margin and 12 degrees rule for planting of willow crops; his further views on the consequences for farmers participating in the REP scheme who wish to grow willow crops for energy production who feel that these regulations and others restricting the amount of lands which they can include in energy crops jeopardise their participation in the REP scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18736/08]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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In 2006, the European Commission classified willow as an agriculture crop. The Commission subsequently introduced Council Regulation 2012/2006 authorising Member States to grant national aid of up to 50% of the costs associated with establishing permanent crops (willow and miscanthus). This Regulation provides the legal basis of the Bioenergy Scheme, which my Department introduced in February 2007 to provide establishment grants to farmers of up to €1,450 per hectare to grow willow and miscanthus. The second phase of the Bioenergy Scheme commenced in December 2007 and to date applications to plant a further 1,400 hectares of willow and miscanthus have been submitted.

Growing willow is a specialised activity and my Department has published Best Practice guidelines to provide advice to growers on planting and harvesting operations. This is to ensure proper crop establishment, maximise crop yield and improve the economic viability of the crop. The ten-metre boundary margin is necessary to protect watercourses. The 12 degrees rule is to ensure that planting and harvesting operations can be carried out in a safe and efficient manner. Ideally sites must have low elevation and be moderately sheltered to facilitate machine operations and to minimise potential runoff.

In addition to establishment grants, areas planted with willow also qualify for the Single Farm Payment, the National Energy Crop Premium of €80 per hectare and the EU Premium of €45 per hectare under the EU Energy Crops Scheme. We also extended the aid payable under the REPS and Disadvantaged Areas Scheme to include areas planted with willow, subject to some restrictions on the areas planted.

On the REPS area, under the specification for REPS 4, the maximum area of willow and miscanthus permitted on REPS farms is 10 hectares or 25% of the REPS contract area, whichever is the greater. This area limitation is in order to maintain landscape diversity. It would not be desirable or acceptable in an agri-environmental scheme to have whole farms, or a major portion of the lands, devoted to the growing of an introduced species monoculture. Existing levels of flora and fauna need to be sustained, and if possible improved, on all REPS farms and the large-scale growing of willow is not consistent with this objective.

The same maximum area applies in REPS 3 but it has come to my Department's notice that a small number of farmers have exceeded the limits. My Department is examining these sympathetically on a case-by-case basis.