• The official name of the new sheep scheme launched in Budget 2017 is the Animal Welfare Scheme for Sheep.
  • There is a budget of €25m, which equates to €10 for each of Ireland’s 2.5m breeding ewes.
  • The number of ewes on each farm in 2014 and 2015 will be used as a historic reference. There will be no additional payments if farmers expand their flock, as the scheme’s budget is capped at €25m per year.
  • The scheme is being added to the current Rural Development Programme, which runs until 2020, meaning it will operate for the next four years.
  • Participating farmers will be asked to choose two welfare measures from a list of nine, with different options for lowland or hill farmers.

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    Full details of proposed new €10/ewe sheep scheme

    Full coverage: Budget 2017