Work
19.March 2007 - 00:00
Bioash
The new agricultural support period starts in 2007. The tighter conditions will apply to, among other things, environmental aid. The desire to preserve our environment in its natural state, not least where farming was concerned, led to the abandonment of an old soil conditioner which has, however, come back into use, namely bioash. Bioash is obtained by burning wood, peat, or other material of biological origin. It is rich in lime, as well as containing all the other plant burnt nutrients, except nitrogen and sulphur. Because it contains lime, ash quickly raises soil acidity, but its nutrients are naturally slow to dissolve. The phosphorus in ash takes years to dissolve and be utilised by plants, often as long as three to five years. Ash, a natural nutrient, thus also differs from chemical nutrients in terms of its behaviour and not just on account of its ecological efficiency, the environment-friendly way in which it is produced, and the fact that it can be recycled.
From the point of view of the environment and closeness to nature, does the Commission consider that bioash should be treated as a separate soil conditioner and liming agent for the purposes of the agricultural support terms? Ash, an ancient soil conditioner and now a by-product of biofuels, is a nutrient that should continue to have its place in the natural cycle. Does the Commission believe that, just as we are resolutely supporting environment-friendliness and renewable raw materials in energy generation, we should likewise allow natural by-products to be put back into the natural cycle and at the same time enable bioash to be treated under the agricultural support terms according to its characteristics? At present the phosphorus contained in ash used for liming is deemed to have been fully absorbed after five years, even though it is of the slowly soluble type. If the intention is to lower environmental phosphorus concentrations, what ought to be reduced is rapidly soluble phosphorus. Does the Commission consider that the agricultural support terms need, on the contrary, to favour slowly soluble phosphorus?
Answer given by Mrs Fischer Boel on behalf of the Commission
Based on Article 39 of Council Regulation (EC) No 1698/2005(1), payments for agri-environment commitments under the new rural development programming period (2007 13) are intended to cover additional costs and income foregone resulting from the commitment made. This implies that for a payment to be justified, there must be a clear environmental benefit and a net cost to the farmer.
Since in most cases the use of a liming agent (including the use of bio-ash) in agriculture is a standard operational cost, generating a long-term positive return for the farmer, it would not normally seem acceptable to include the costs of using bio-ash in the calculation for agri-environment payments. As mentioned by the Honourable Member, a more appropriate crop uptake of the slowly soluble phosphate contained in bio-ash should be expected, generating a positive return for the farmer through a quantitative reduction in mineral fertilisers.
As a general rule therefore, the costs of using bio-ash for liming in agriculture would not be considered eligible for support through the rural development programmes.
The new agricultural support period starts in 2007. The tighter conditions will apply to, among other things, environmental aid. The desire to preserve our environment in its natural state, not least where farming was concerned, led to the abandonment of an old soil conditioner which has, however, come back into use, namely bioash. Bioash is obtained by burning wood, peat, or other material of biological origin. It is rich in lime, as well as containing all the other plant burnt nutrients, except nitrogen and sulphur. Because it contains lime, ash quickly raises soil acidity, but its nutrients are naturally slow to dissolve. The phosphorus in ash takes years to dissolve and be utilised by plants, often as long as three to five years. Ash, a natural nutrient, thus also differs from chemical nutrients in terms of its behaviour and not just on account of its ecological efficiency, the environment-friendly way in which it is produced, and the fact that it can be recycled.
From the point of view of the environment and closeness to nature, does the Commission consider that bioash should be treated as a separate soil conditioner and liming agent for the purposes of the agricultural support terms? Ash, an ancient soil conditioner and now a by-product of biofuels, is a nutrient that should continue to have its place in the natural cycle. Does the Commission believe that, just as we are resolutely supporting environment-friendliness and renewable raw materials in energy generation, we should likewise allow natural by-products to be put back into the natural cycle and at the same time enable bioash to be treated under the agricultural support terms according to its characteristics? At present the phosphorus contained in ash used for liming is deemed to have been fully absorbed after five years, even though it is of the slowly soluble type. If the intention is to lower environmental phosphorus concentrations, what ought to be reduced is rapidly soluble phosphorus. Does the Commission consider that the agricultural support terms need, on the contrary, to favour slowly soluble phosphorus?
Answer given by Mrs Fischer Boel on behalf of the Commission
Based on Article 39 of Council Regulation (EC) No 1698/2005(1), payments for agri-environment commitments under the new rural development programming period (2007 13) are intended to cover additional costs and income foregone resulting from the commitment made. This implies that for a payment to be justified, there must be a clear environmental benefit and a net cost to the farmer.
Since in most cases the use of a liming agent (including the use of bio-ash) in agriculture is a standard operational cost, generating a long-term positive return for the farmer, it would not normally seem acceptable to include the costs of using bio-ash in the calculation for agri-environment payments. As mentioned by the Honourable Member, a more appropriate crop uptake of the slowly soluble phosphate contained in bio-ash should be expected, generating a positive return for the farmer through a quantitative reduction in mineral fertilisers.
As a general rule therefore, the costs of using bio-ash for liming in agriculture would not be considered eligible for support through the rural development programmes.