The scheme which provided financial support for environmental on-farm bio-diversity improvements, will close at 1700 hours on 31 March 2008.
Discussing the deadline, the Minister said: “This Scheme, which was more commonly known as the Vision E-plan, has been available to participants in DARD’s agri-environment schemes since April 2003. The scheme has provided funding to around 3,000 farmers for landscape and biodiversity enhancing measures that complemented the aims of the Environmentally Sensitive Areas Scheme and the Countryside Management Scheme.
“The scheme closure does not affect existing scheme participants nor those whose Vision E-plan applications have been received by 1700 hours on the closing date. We plan to open the new agri-environment scheme in the next few months.”
DARD’s agri-environment schemes are currently closed to applications but it is anticipated that the new and improved Countryside Management Scheme (NICMS) will open for applications in late spring/early summer 2008.
Notes to Editors:
- The Vision Enhancement Capital Grant Scheme (Vision E-plan) was one of a raft of recommendations coming out of the ‘Vision for the Future of the Agri-food Industry’ document and associated ‘Vision Action Plan’. The recommendation was for an environmental on-farm capital grant scheme to support biodiversity objectives under Vision.
- The scheme was opened to applications on 7 April 2003 and over 2,800 farmers and land managers had availed of the scheme at mid March 2008 to a value of around £3.9million. This was from national, rather than European Union, funds.
- Agri-environment schemes are co-funded by the European Union as part of their rural development programme. They are the main mechanism Government uses to encourage farmers and land managers to adopt environmentally friendly practices. Agri-environment schemes contribute to the delivery of the Northern Ireland Biodiversity Strategy.
- NICMS will fund the items previously included under Vision E-Plan.
- All media enquiries to DARD Press Office, Tel: 028 9052 4619. Out of hours please contact the Duty Press Officer via pager number 076 9971 5440 and your call will be returned.
