AQW 36372/11-15 Written question to the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development
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.
Asked by Claire Sugden MLA on 23 September 2014
- Answered
- Written
- Tabled
- 23 September 2014
- Answer due by
- 8 October 2014
- Answered
- 1 October 20148 days after tabling
- Priority question
- No
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.