The 2025 National Sheep Welfare Scheme (NSWS) has opened for applications.
The Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon announced the scheme on Monday which has a budget of €22 million and is a continuation and expansion of a similar scheme that operated in 2024.
Participants in the 2025 NSWS will require the completion of three actions to receive the full payment of €13/ewe.
Referring to the new support for sheep famers, Minister Heydon said that it will allow farmers to carry out an additional action to maximise their scheme payments.
“The increased scheme funding provided in Budget 2025 gives sheep famers an opportunity to drawdown €13/eligible ewe, bringing targeted payments to €25/ewe in 2025 when combined with the Sheep Improvement Scheme.,” he said.
“The overall level of support is now two and half times greater than the payment in 2022 and is the highest payment rate ever provided to enhance animal health and welfare in our vitally important sheep sector.”
Scheme
The NSWS is separate from but complements the multi-annual Sheep Improvement Scheme (SIS) funded under Ireland’s CAP Strategic Plan until 2027.
Under 2024 scheme, over €15m was paid to more than 16,300 farmers who completed the required actions.
“[NSWS] consists of straightforward measures that will encourage uptake and are applicable to all types of sheep enterprises,” added Heydon.
“It is practical to implement on all sheep enterprises regardless of flock size or production system, including those not currently participating in the existing Sheep Improvement Scheme.
“I want to see a thriving sheep sector and am determined to provide the necessary supports to maintain producer confidence in the future viability of sheep farming.”
Applications
Participants must complete two Category A actions and one Category B action in order to claim the full €13/breeding ewe.
Category A (shearing, body condition scoring, and clostridial vaccination) comprises mandatory actions, each worth €4/breeding ewe, from which applicants must select two of the three available options.
Category B (foot bathing of breeding ewes and plunge dipping) comprises voluntary actions, each worth €5/breeding ewe, from which applicants must select one of the two available options.
Deadline
Actions selected at application stage must be completed by 17 October 2025.
However, applicants who are unable to complete their chosen actions by that date will have an option to choose a later date of 28 November 2025 for completion of all selected actions but they will not be paid until January 2026 at the earliest.
Scheme applications, which must be submitted before 23.59 on 15 May 2025 and can be made by a farmer, or an approved FAS adviser acting on their behalf, using the online Agfood website.
Read more
Reduced ewe numbers and scheme compliance
Northern Irish sheep farmers struggling to remain viable without support - UFU
Sheep Improvement Scheme open for new applications
Payments system is broken - Heydon
The 2025 National Sheep Welfare Scheme (NSWS) has opened for applications.
The Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon announced the scheme on Monday which has a budget of €22 million and is a continuation and expansion of a similar scheme that operated in 2024.
Participants in the 2025 NSWS will require the completion of three actions to receive the full payment of €13/ewe.
Referring to the new support for sheep famers, Minister Heydon said that it will allow farmers to carry out an additional action to maximise their scheme payments.
“The increased scheme funding provided in Budget 2025 gives sheep famers an opportunity to drawdown €13/eligible ewe, bringing targeted payments to €25/ewe in 2025 when combined with the Sheep Improvement Scheme.,” he said.
“The overall level of support is now two and half times greater than the payment in 2022 and is the highest payment rate ever provided to enhance animal health and welfare in our vitally important sheep sector.”
Scheme
The NSWS is separate from but complements the multi-annual Sheep Improvement Scheme (SIS) funded under Ireland’s CAP Strategic Plan until 2027.
Under 2024 scheme, over €15m was paid to more than 16,300 farmers who completed the required actions.
“[NSWS] consists of straightforward measures that will encourage uptake and are applicable to all types of sheep enterprises,” added Heydon.
“It is practical to implement on all sheep enterprises regardless of flock size or production system, including those not currently participating in the existing Sheep Improvement Scheme.
“I want to see a thriving sheep sector and am determined to provide the necessary supports to maintain producer confidence in the future viability of sheep farming.”
Applications
Participants must complete two Category A actions and one Category B action in order to claim the full €13/breeding ewe.
Category A (shearing, body condition scoring, and clostridial vaccination) comprises mandatory actions, each worth €4/breeding ewe, from which applicants must select two of the three available options.
Category B (foot bathing of breeding ewes and plunge dipping) comprises voluntary actions, each worth €5/breeding ewe, from which applicants must select one of the two available options.
Deadline
Actions selected at application stage must be completed by 17 October 2025.
However, applicants who are unable to complete their chosen actions by that date will have an option to choose a later date of 28 November 2025 for completion of all selected actions but they will not be paid until January 2026 at the earliest.
Scheme applications, which must be submitted before 23.59 on 15 May 2025 and can be made by a farmer, or an approved FAS adviser acting on their behalf, using the online Agfood website.
Read more
Reduced ewe numbers and scheme compliance
Northern Irish sheep farmers struggling to remain viable without support - UFU
Sheep Improvement Scheme open for new applications
Payments system is broken - Heydon
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