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Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed has been called on to target the additional €40m available to the beef sector in 2020 to suckler farmers as part of a health and welfare pilot scheme.
The calls come from the Irish Natura and Hill Farmers Association (INHFA) who said the scheme would help suckler farmers meet the societal demands being placed upon them in the next CAP.
INHFA president Colm O’Donnell said while it was a huge challenge, there was an opportunity for a well-thought out suckler scheme that met demands around public health, animal health and welfare, and a reduction in antibiotic usage.
"I am calling on Minister Creed to look seriously at drawing up a pilot scheme that meets these societal demands but most importantly, that all suckler farmers that are currently excluded from the most recent offerings drawn up by his Department, can now become part of his plans going forward.”
Exclusions
According to INHFA figures, 45,000 suckler farmers were excluded from BDGP, BEEP, and BEAM due to “budget constraints, conditionality or the complexities associated with compliance”.
O’Donnell said: "Enough is enough. If the majority of suckler farmers in this country are ignored this time, then there's only one other option left and that's to inform the European Commission by August 2020 of the need to provide sectoral support to sucklers, which is catered for under Omnibus Regulation, making it possible to couple support to a vulnerable sector.”
SHARING OPTIONS: