€12.9m over 5 years for Cavan suckler producers

UP to 2,965 farmers in County Cavan will benefit by up to §(12,884,480 under the new Suckler Cow Herd Scheme secured by the IFA. The new Scheme was given the green light in Brussels in recent days and the Minister for Agriculture Mary Coughlan announced details of the Scheme.

  Welcoming the §80 per cow Scheme, IFA County Chairman Richard Moeran said Agriculture Minister Mary Coughlan had delivered on her

commitment to support the suckler cow herd and quality beef production in Ireland.

  He described the §80 per cow Scheme as a major boost to the sector and particularly suckler producers, which form the core base of our quality beef and livestock sector.  He said there are up to 65,000 suckler farmers with over 1.1million suckler cows in Ireland, all of which will be eligible for the new scheme.

Pay out

  Richard Moeran said when IFA first proposed the new Suckler Herd scheme in January 2006, Minister Coughlan responded very positively.  He said the Scheme involves a major investment of §250m in upgrading the National Beef Herd and is worth §80 per suckler cow per year for the next five years.

  Richard Moeran welcomed this major IFA delivery for livestock farmers and complimented the hard work of the IFA President Padraig Walshe and National Livestock Chairman John Bryan in securing this investment package for the livestock sector.

The IFA Chairman said a 30-cow suckler farmer in Co Cavan will receive a payment of §2,400 in 2008 under this scheme, and a total of €12,000 over the next five years.

  Richard Moeran said "farmers who join the Scheme will receive the §80 per cow payment for undertaking six measures covering animal events recording, disbudding of calves, castration of calves, minimum calving age and weaning best practice, and training and education." He said the Scheme is voluntary and open to all farmers with sucklers.

  The IFA Chairman said application forms for the new Scheme will be available within a few weeks and applications must be made between January 1st and March 31st, 2008.

  Encouraging all suckler farmers in County Cavan to apply for the scheme, Richard Moeran said early application is important as it will allow for early payment.  In addition, suckler farmers who apply in early January will be guaranteed §80 per cow each year for the next 5 years.