€250m scheme to improve quality of Irish beef

A €250 MILLION five-year scheme to improve the quality of beef produced in Ireland was launched yesterday by Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Minister Mary Coughlan.

The suckler scheme will encourage high standards of animal welfare and improved breeding and will operate to December 2012.

An annual payment of €80 per cow (or 82 where the applicant makes required returns on-line) will apply to suckler cows calving from January 1 onwards.