€265m farming supports announced
NEW FARMING support measures are being implemented by the Minister for Agriculture it has been announced, to the amount of €265m.
Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Charlie McConalogue T.D gave the news of two new support measures for the suckler and beef sectors, including that of: €260m Suckler Carbon Efficiency Programme (SCEP) under the CAP Strategic Plan (CSP) and €5m National Dairy Beef Welfare Scheme 2023.
The SCEP is the successor to the Beef Data and Genomics Programme (BDGP), has a budget of €260m over five years, and is co-funded by the EU under the CSP. It rewards participant farmers with a payment equivalent to €150/cow on the first 22 cows and €120/cow on subsequent cows.
The National Dairy Beef Welfare Scheme 2023 is a successor to similar schemes in 2021 and 2022, has a budget of €5m, and is funded from the Brexit Adjustment Reserve.
Commenting on the opening of the measures, Minister McConalogue said: “Our suckler and beef farmers are the best in the world and I will continue to stand behind them and back them.
“I am supporting our farm families to help them make their enterprises more economically and environmentally efficient.
“This is a key focus for me because the output of those farms accounted for €3 billion worth of exports to more than 70 markets worldwide in 2022.”
A programme of in-person information sessions has been scheduled where speakers from the Department, the ICBF and Bord Bia will present and explain the new SCEP.
A Clare location has been confirmed for the information session on March 28 in Treacys West County Hotel, Limerick Road, Ennis.