The funding of €20m through a pilot scheme for suckler farmers is a recognition of the income crisis in the sector, but the level of funding is disappointing, IFA president Joe Healy said following the announcement of Budget 2019.

He said more needed to be done to help sustain the suckler herd and that it is essential the new measures are farmer-friendly.

“The medium-term outlook for agriculture is very uncertain given policy and trade issues. The budget has not adequately recognised this and farmers will need more support to deal with these uncertainties,” he said.

The increased ANC funding of €23m, to bring the allocation to €250m, was positive and reverses the cuts imposed on the lowest income farmers in previous budgets.

Healy said that the €200 increase in the earned income tax credit to €1,350 does not go far enough and that the Brexit loan scheme appears to be the same scheme announced in last year’s budget.