€7.5 million payments under suckler welfare scheme being paid to farmers

FARMERS have begun to receive €7.5m in payments for eligible 2010-born calves, under the suckler welfare scheme.

Payments of €40 per cow on a rolling basis for 2010-born calves will continue into 2011 as additional animals become eligible.

Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Brendan Smith said: “In addition to making payments on 2008- and 2009-born calves, I was able to bring forward the payment date for eligible 2010-born calves. These payments are worth over €7.5 million to suckler farmers and will bring the total value of payments made to date in 2010 under this scheme to over €33m.”

The minister encouraged applicants to continue to complete and return their forms as quickly as possible and for those making returns online to continue to do so also.

The minister added: “The sooner farmers complete these important returns the sooner they can receive payment.”

Mr Smith said that the quantity of breeding information (a combination of ancestry, bulls used, performance data and weanling quality) now being collected from participating farmers and submitted to the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation is starting to make a significant contribution to improvement in the genetic quality of the suckler herd.

“The real benefits in beef breeding terms will, however, be in the longer term, and it is vitally important that farmers keep up the flow of data to the ICBF and also at the same time maintain the high standard of animal welfare,” the minister said.