Macra welcomes U-turn by Department of Agriculture on Grass lie back rules

Grass lie back area is no longer a requirement under the Good Agricultural and Environmental Condition (GAEC) regulations for catch crops, a move which is welcomed by Macra.

The controversy surrounding this matter highlights the need for more timely and greater clarity of requirements under regulations, and also the need for better communication from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine to support farmers. 

Elaine Houlihan, Macra National President, has called for greater engagement with farm organisations around the regulations, stating that “active engagement” is key and greater work must be done to ensure avoidable consequences to regulation changes which are simply not practical.

“Farm business planning is a key part of a viable business, and the introduction of such measures under short time frames is simply not feasible from a practical viewpoint, nor does it support farmers in their financial and farm management planning” said Macra Agricultral Affairs Chair Liam Hanrahan. 

“This has been a difficult year for the tillage sector, and many farmers have been working in good faith to implement these regulations at significant cost, not just in the cost of grass seed but also the additional mental strain” added Ms. Houlihan.

"Such decisions do little to attract young farmers into tillage sector, which has greater implication beyond the farm gate in terms of the development of rural areas and generation renewal” continued Ms. Houlihan.

In order to drive sustainable agricultural production systems and encourage young people into the sector there needs to be a greater appreciation of the drivers of farmers’ decisions, the seasonal nature of farming, the interconnectedness of agricultural sectors and the impact of policy and regulations on farm businesses.