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Teagasc adviser Terry Carroll maintains that farmers should not be rushing to leave the KT programme.
“No one is going to find €750 on the side of the road and here you are getting paid to improve your own business. I think we should look at the positives of the programme.”
While the veterinary cost for the on-farm health measure is a common gripe among Teagasc clients, Carroll believes farmers should make it work for them.
“If you picked up one issue in your herd or flock as a result of the vet coming out, it would pay for itself,” he said.
“No one can say that the measures put together by the Department are ridiculous. They are all very important areas to deal with on any farm – health issues, a breeding plan, farm safety and a grassland plan. They are aspects that all farmers should be working on.
“I don’t think farmers should be giving out about going to meetings. They should be looking to see what they can take home from each one,” said the Kilkenny-based adviser.
However, Carroll admitted that the 31 May deadline “will be very tight to get men across the line”.
“March and April are a shocking busy time of year and it puts everyone under pressure. If it could be pushed out to the end of October, it would allow for a more professional service for farmers.”
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