Farm organisations have upped the ante on Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon to secure the funds needed to reverse a €1.50/ewe reduction in the 2025 National Sheep Welfare Scheme.
The IFA’s sheep chair Adrian Gallagher called on Minister Heydon to find the €2.4m that would be needed to pay out the €13/ewe rate that had been promised to farmers in the announcement of Budget 2025.
“Sheep farmers entered into a contract with the minister in good faith when applying to the scheme and carrying out the actions.
“These are all costed actions based on income foregone, cost incurred,” Gallagher said.
The sheep chair warned that the decision to pare back the scheme’s payment rate comes amid declining ewe numbers.
“This penny pinching by the minister, at a crucial time for sheep farming and the broader sheep sector, is a clear sign of the level of the interest from the Government and the minister in supporting this vital national resource and the second largest farming sector in the country.”
IFA livestock chair Declan Hanrahan called on the Minister to find the €3.7m in funding needed to pay suckler farmers in the beef welfare scheme the promised payment of €75/cow.
“The strong uptake of the scheme is very positive for the sector and should not now be used to penalise suckler farmers,” he said.
The Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers’ Association president Seán McNamara stated that the oversubscription of the sheep scheme provided the minister with the opportunity to tell a “success story” on animal welfare-focused measures.
“Instead, a funding gap means farmers are being short-changed.”
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Cuts to 2025 sheep scheme confirmed as €16.4m in payments on way
Farm organisations have upped the ante on Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon to secure the funds needed to reverse a €1.50/ewe reduction in the 2025 National Sheep Welfare Scheme.
The IFA’s sheep chair Adrian Gallagher called on Minister Heydon to find the €2.4m that would be needed to pay out the €13/ewe rate that had been promised to farmers in the announcement of Budget 2025.
“Sheep farmers entered into a contract with the minister in good faith when applying to the scheme and carrying out the actions.
“These are all costed actions based on income foregone, cost incurred,” Gallagher said.
The sheep chair warned that the decision to pare back the scheme’s payment rate comes amid declining ewe numbers.
“This penny pinching by the minister, at a crucial time for sheep farming and the broader sheep sector, is a clear sign of the level of the interest from the Government and the minister in supporting this vital national resource and the second largest farming sector in the country.”
IFA livestock chair Declan Hanrahan called on the Minister to find the €3.7m in funding needed to pay suckler farmers in the beef welfare scheme the promised payment of €75/cow.
“The strong uptake of the scheme is very positive for the sector and should not now be used to penalise suckler farmers,” he said.
The Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers’ Association president Seán McNamara stated that the oversubscription of the sheep scheme provided the minister with the opportunity to tell a “success story” on animal welfare-focused measures.
“Instead, a funding gap means farmers are being short-changed.”
Read more
Cuts to 2025 sheep scheme confirmed as €16.4m in payments on way
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