Are far off hills really greener? The Impact of REPS on Farmer Behaviour

The Rural Environment Protection Scheme (REPS) was introduced under Council Regulation 2078/92 in order to encourage farmers to carry out their activities in a more extensive and environmentally friendly manner. This article, using National Farm Survey (NFS) data, examines the extent to which farming activities that can help or hinder the environment have changed due to farmer participation in the REPS scheme. The analysis shows that REPS has had a substantial impact on the use of chemical nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium. Also, participation in REPS may have resulted in a more significant reduction in the production of organic nitrogen, organic phosphorous and methane emissions than would have been the case if the REPS farmers in the NFS had not joined the scheme.