Suckler cow payments begin this week
The payments are in two tranches this year. The first is an 80% advance. The balancing payment will issue when data on autumn- born calves has been finalised.
Mr Coveney said the programme assists farmers in improving the genetic quality of their livestock, while maintaining a flow of crucial data to the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation.
There has been a 21% rise in the participation level with 5,700 new suckler farmers being paid this year.
“The suckler herd is the seed bed for a quality beef industry involving more than 100,000 farm families, employing almost 8,000 people in processing, sales and marketing, and driving exports valued at about €2bn per annum.
“The Beef Data Programme in conjunction with the Beef Genomics Scheme increases the breeding data available and harnesses technology in a way that improves efficiency and ultimately profitability at farm level,” he said.
