Farmers participating in REAP had until midnight the 15th of August to submit their farm plans, scorecards and photographs. REAP is a DAFM pilot Results Based Programme and approximately 4,000 farmers were selected in early Summer for the pilot throughout Ireland.

Participating farm advisors, including our own, visited selected client farms the past number of weeks to discuss their farm plans, which included an assessment of their grassland areas for positive indicators. Positive indicators (e.g. self heal, orchids, mints, birds foot trefoil, vetches etc.) are a sign that grassland is semi natural, is not managed intensively (through slurry and fertiliser applications) and receives very small amounts of herbicides (mostly through spot spraying) and other improvements.

Farmers scorecards and plans are now being assessed by the DAFM and farmers must incorporate the management advice as set out by the advisor into their farming operations. Payments for REAP are expected later this year.