Blackstairs Farming Futures to hold information meeting in Rathanna Community Hall
It's a ustainable farming project
Blackstairs Farming Futures invites all members of the Blackstairs farming community to attend an information meeting in Rathanna Community Hall on Wednesday, December 12 at 8pm sharp.
Since the Blackstairs Hill Farming Showcase on September 16, the BFF project now has a project coordinator and scientist team in place.
The meeting will formally present the Blackstairs Farming Futures EIP-Agri funding project and officially invite Expressions of Interest from farmer groups working on the Blackstairs Mountains.
Application forms will be available to take away for completion and the project team will be on hand to answer any queries.
Blackstairs Farming Futures (or BFF) is a sustainable farming project which seeks to adopt innovative and value-adding approaches to the Blackstairs hill farming system whilst simultaneously improving habitat conditions.
This exciting pilot project proposes to develop and trial four main innovations:
A results-based, agri-environment payment scheme for upland habitats and commonage land;
An effective commonage governance model for Ireland;
Habitat management for red grouse and wider upland biodiversity by commonage farmers in the Blackstairs;
Wider community engagement in the environment, culture and tradition of farming in the Uplands.
Earlier in 2018, BFF was awarded funding by EIP-Agri, the agricultural European Innovation Partnership to conduct this pilot project.
The competitive programme was launched in 2012 to contribute to the EU’s strategy towards smart, sustainable and inclusive growth.
Within Ireland, the programme is managed by the Dept. of Agriculture, Food and the Marine under the auspices of the Rural Development Programme 2014 – 2020.
Twenty two pioneering projects have been selected across Ireland to trial a range of original initiatives within the agricultural and environmental sectors. BFF was awarded €1.5million and the project will run until the end of 2022.
All are welcome to attend this public meeting. It will be followed by a closed Annual General Meeting of the Blackstairs Farming Group.