€56m Fodder Support Scheme now open for ANC Category 1 land

The purpose of the scheme is to incentivise and support farmers to grow sufficient grass and conserve sufficient fodder for the 2022 winter

This land had previously been displayed as ineligible for the scheme.

The €56m Fodder Support Scheme is now open for farmers with land classified as Category 1 land under the Areas of Natural Constraint (ANC) scheme.

This land had previously been displayed as ineligible for the scheme, but the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine this week confirmed it will be eligible to apply on where the applicant commits to cut and conserve silage and/or hay on this land before September 5.

“Any farmer who has previously submitted an application that may have been affected by this change will be contacted by the department in due course,” a statement from the department said.

Any farmer who wishes to apply for the support scheme can do so either themselves or through their advisor up to August 2 by logging on to the Exceptional Aid System on Agfood.ie.

The purpose of the scheme is to incentivise and support farmers to grow sufficient grass and conserve sufficient fodder (silage and/or hay) for the 2022 winter, according to the Department of Agriculture.

“This is to reduce the risk of animal welfare issues in the coming winter as a result of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and the impact this has had on agricultural input costs,” the department said.

The payment rate will be up to €100 per eligible hectare, on up to a maximum of 10 hectares.

Payments are expected to begin issuing to cleared cases in late November 2022.

Latest support measure

This is the latest support measure the department has put in place for farmers to deal with the impact of the war in Ukraine on input prices. 

In March, a €12m Tillage Incentive Scheme was launched to encourage the growing of tillage crops as well as red clover and multi-species sward.

Two separate support packages worth €20m for the pig sector have been delivered while a targeted package worth almost €3m has been put in place for the horticulture and vegetable sector.

Launching the scheme this month, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Charlie McConalogue said: “Easing the burden on our farm families as a result of the disruptions caused by the war in Ukraine has been a key priority of mine as minister as well as the Government.

“Our response to the increase in agricultural input costs, in particular for chemical fertiliser and the impact that will have on the quantity of fodder produced and conserved for the coming winter, I am delighted to launch the Fodder Support Scheme.

“This is a crucial scheme which will assist grow fodder stocks in the country to ensure we have adequate stocks for the winter ahead.”