EU-Irish concession nearly halves SBP overshoot impact

THE 25,000 farmers who applied for more than 25 animals in the Special Beef Premium Scheme Second Age Category are to benefit from additional funding of €17.5 million, which will almost halve a 23% overshoot cut in their payout.

The additional funding will be shared by the EU and the Irish exchequer, following a successful request by Agriculture and Food Minister Mary Coughlan to EU Commissioner Fischer Boel for assistance to deal with the overshoot of the Special Beef Premium quota in Ireland.

However, due to a legally binding ceiling of 1,077,458 animals in the Irish Special Beef Premium Scheme, the European Commission has made no concession for First Age Category applicants.