Scheme is a step in the right direction but needs support

The measures relating to farming didn’t receive much coverage in the wake of the budget. But from the farmer’s perspective, the contents of the speeches could be described as more positive than negative.

It was refreshing to see a Budget in which there were no cuts to any agriculture schemes, the first in several years. The standout announ-cement was the creation of a new beef genomics scheme for 2014.

Worth €23m, the payments will deliver €40 per calf and will require farmers to DNA test 15% of them with an overall aim to improve the genetics of the suckler herd.