AQW 36372/11-15

Ms Claire Sugden
Independent
East Londonderry

Tabled Date: 23/09/2014
Answered On Date: 01/10/2014
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development what agri-environment schemes are currently operational; and whether they will be maintained within the new Rural Development Programme for 2014-2020.

Answer:

Currently there are six agri-environment schemes in operation, namely; the Habitat Improvement Scheme (HIS); the Countryside Access Scheme (CAS); The Environmentally Sensitive Areas Scheme (ESA); the Countryside Management Scheme (CMS), the NI Countryside Management Scheme (NICMS) and the Organic Farming Scheme (OFS).

It is intended that approximately £60m of the Rural Development Programme 2014-2020 budget will be used to fund existing agri-environment agreements, therefore helping to ensure that environmental benefits associated with ongoing agri-environment schemes can continue to be delivered.