Willie Penrose (Longford-Westmeath, Labour)
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Question 642: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the impact to REP scheme three farmers as a result of funding from the environmental scheme being capped in the 7 April 2009 budget to €330 million for 2009; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15786/09]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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Given the level of participation in REPS 4 and the pressures on the public finances and having considered other alternatives I have decided to reverse the 17% increase in REPS 4 payments. Applications received in 2007 and 2008 will, if valid, be paid at existing rates in respect of those years. REPS applications will continue to be accepted up to the predetermined closing date of 15th May and, depending on the number of applications received, I will then review the payment level for REPS 3 participants. I will be also be carrying out a review of the scheme in the context of the overall level of participation, the funding which is likely to be available to me and the flexibility provided by the additional funding which I negotiated in the recent CAP "Health Check". In the context of 2010, I intend to look at and discuss with our stakeholders how we can use unused CAP funds and modulated monies, including the options in relation to REPS, to achieve the maximum benefit for Irish farmers and the agri-food sector.

Willie Penrose (Longford-Westmeath, Labour)
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Question 643: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the purpose of the proposed new monitoring regime which detects silo organic matter levels; if his attention has been drawn to the concern that farmers involved in continuous tillage would be impacted negatively by this new proposal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15787/09]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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Under cross compliance requirements, a farmer in receipt of direct payments, including Single Payment Scheme (SPS), Disadvantaged Areas Scheme (DAS), Rural Environment Protection Scheme 4 (REPS4) and Organics must respect the various statutory management requirements set down in EU legislation (Directives and Regulations) on the environment, food safety, animal health and welfare, and plant health and must maintain their lands in good agricultural and environmental condition (GAEC).

Under GAEC, the requirement is that farmers must "maintain soil organic matter levels through appropriate practices". If a parcel has been under tillage cropping continuously farmers must ensure through soil sampling that organic matter levels are maintained through the use of appropriate farming practices. Where organic matter levels are depleted (< 3.4% organic matter) it may be necessary, depending on soil type, to adopt farming practices that will restore organic matter levels in the soil. Compliance with this requirement will be checked in the course of cross compliance inspections.My Department will communicate with applicants who have applied on such parcels on their SPS application in areas identified as potentially having low levels of organic matter. These applicants must determine the percentage soil organic matter levels in 2009 and where found to be less than 3.4%, remedial action appropriate for the soil type must be undertaken.The purpose of this requirement is to ensure the protection of Irish soils. Research in this area indicates that for some soils, organic matter levels below 3.4% may expose these soils to degradation through soil erosion, compaction or declining productivity. This requirement will have limited impact on farmers involved in continuous tillage as the soil organic matter levels in most Irish soils are significantly above the threshold level of 3.4% organic matterFurther information in relation to soil organic matter and the appropriate remedial actions if required is available from Cross Compliance Farm Advisory Service advisors. In addition information on this good agricultural and environmental condition will be provided on the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food web site at www.agriculture.gov.ie. A listing of Cross Compliance Farm Advisory Service advisors is also available on the Department's web site.>