Some €23m in Brexit Adjustment Reserve (BAR) funding will be drawn down to finance year one of the new cattle genotyping programme.

Funding for years two to five of the programme will be split between participating farmers, industry and the Department of Agriculture, with each to contribute one-third of the genotyping costs.

The programme has funds to genotype 800,000 cows in year one of the programme and details are expected to be available to farmers shortly, Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue said.

The Minister stated that the “landmark project” will deliver a wide range of benefits for farmers, including for animal breeding, food traceability and reducing agricultural emissions.

Exciting

“It is a really exciting day for Irish agriculture because this is the first step on making us the first country in the world to genotype our full herd,” Minister McConalogue said.

“It really shows the unique aspect that we have in Ireland where the sector and stakeholders, despite the fact that we butt heads the odd time, take that collaborative approach to how we develop the sector.”

The €23m in BAR funds will cover the genotyping of a “significant amount of the breeding population” over the coming year.

“I think this is the way forward. This represents the strength of Irish agriculture, it represents the strength of Irish farm profitability but really importantly as well delivering on the sustainability journey, the emissions reduction journey,” the Minister added.

World class

The genotyping programme will give Ireland a unique selling point on the world market, with the ultimate benefits of the initiative returning to farmers, according to Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture Martin Heydon.

“From a trade perspective I see regularly that Ireland leads the way in being able to offer sustainably produced food and drink offering that is off our pasture-based system, one of the most sustainable in the world,” Minister Heydon stated.

“And even though we are world leaders, we don’t take that for granted and this type of investment and research in genotyping means we want to continue to be ahead of the game for our farmers, our food producers and for the benefit of the Irish economy overall.”

Collaborative and cumulative

Minister Heydon went on to say that the programme shows what can be achieved when Department schemes are put together with thorough consultation from farm groups, researchers and the wider agri-food sector.

“This is a great example of Government working with farmers through the farm organisations and with industry and all of us working together for the greater good.”

He also emphasised that the programme will allow for better breeding which will have cumulative annual benefits for participating farmers.

“It is not just about your first year or your second year. The benefits will accrue for farmers year on year thereafter.”