6,700 farms subject to satellite inspections in 2020
In a statement to
AgriLand, a spokesperson for the department said:
“Currently a 5% control rate for the Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) and other area-based schemes is specified in the governing EU regulations.
In Ireland, approximately 1% is carried out by full ground inspections and 4% by means of Remote Sensing involving the photo-interpretation of current-year satellite imagery.
Scheme eligibility requirements and area measurements are determined as part of this process, it was added.
“In 2020, approximately 6,700 applications were subject to a Remote Sensing inspection and this figure is consistent with previous years.”
By comparison, 6,840 applicants, under the various EU-funded area-based schemes, were selected for a satellite inspection in 2019. The bulk of these were applicants under the Areas of Natural Constraint (ANC) scheme.
An estimated 6,700 farms were selected for remote sensing inspection – carried out via satellite imagery – in 2020, the Department of Agriculture has confirmed.
A total of 5pc control rate for the Basic Payment Scheme, and other area-based schemes, is specified in the EU regulations.
In an Irish context, around 1pc of farmers can expect full on-the-spot ground inspections to be carried out by a Department inspector, while 4pc can expect ‘eye in the sky’ remote sensing inspections.
A Department spokesperson said remote sensing involves the “photo-interpretation of current-year satellite imagery”.
“Scheme eligibility requirements, and area measurements, are determined as part of this process.