Certified Irish Angus Group, ABP and Kepak announce new bonuses
(Left to right) Aoife McCormack, sustainability data specialist at Bord Bia; Stephen Connolly, agri-sustainability manager, ABP; Charles Smith, general manager, Certified Irish Angus; Mick O'Dowd, head of Agri-Business, Kepak.
A tiered bonus structure to reward quality genetics and sustainability has been announced by Certified Irish Angus Producer Group, ABP and Kepak.
Ireland’s largest producer group, Certified Irish Angus, in partnership with beef processors ABP and Kepak, have announced details of a new and enhanced bonus payment structure for its farmer members.
In addition to the agreed Quality Payment System (QPS) base price, members can now avail of a €0.10/kg standard bonus, a €0.05/kg genetics bonus, and a €0.05/kg sustainability bonus for Angus animals that meet set criteria.
The payments will reward high farmer performance and signal a long-term commitment from processor partners to meet the growing consumer demand for quality beef that is sustainably produced.
To allow time for farmer members to adjust their farming systems to meet the sustainability and genetic bonus requirements, these changes will not come into effect until September 1, 2026.
The enhanced bonus payments will be awarded in addition to the agreed QPS base price. The standard bonus of €0.10/kg is under the condition that the animal passes Certified Angus inspection.
The €0.05/kg sustainability bonus is awarded for animals supplied by members enrolled in AgNav who have undertaken a minimum of three sustainability actions.
From 2029, farmers must demonstrate completion of three selected actions to qualify.
The genetics bonus is €0.05 kg for Angus animals with a recorded sire or that are genotyped.
From 2028, animals must achieve a commercial beef value above the bottom one-third cohort of Angus cattle; currently, this value is above €100.
From 2029, this threshold will increase and will increase and be verified by genotyping only.
Over the past 10 years, annual Angus births have increased by 82% from 346,772 in 2016 to over 601,754 in the first 10 months of 2025, reflecting strong farmer confidence in the breed and in the consistency of the bonus payments delivered by ABP and Kepak.
Speaking about the initiative, general manager at Certified Irish Angus, Charles Smith, said: “The historical partnership we have had with ABP & Kepak has given our members the confidence to invest, innovate and improve their herds, knowing there is a fair and reliable return for producing quality cattle.
"Working together, we have delivered value right along the supply chain. As we look to the future, the Certified Irish Angus bonuses will continue to encourage best practice at every stage of production to deliver additional value throughout the supply chain from conception to consumer.”
Building on a unique partnership that spans more than 25 years, the new structure reinforces the long-standing commitment of all three organisations to delivering a secure, transparent and reliable bonus for farmer members who produce Angus cattle for the Certified Irish Angus brand.
