Suckler farmers who dropped out of the Beef Data and Genomics Programme (BDGP) left more than €38m behind them in potential payments.
Approximately one in every four of the 31,799 farmers who applied to participate in either BDGP I or II have left the programme.
Some 7,281 farmers left the scheme, with just 24,531 active participants currently.
Of those who left, 859 farmers were excluded for not completing training or carbon navigator requirements.
The 6,422 farmers who left the programme voluntarily could have earned an estimated €38.6m in payments from the scheme. Those who have stuck with the scheme have been paid over €164m to date.
Most farmers withdrew in the first year of both BDGP I and II, avoiding any clawback of payments.
The high dropout rate is four times greater than any other rural development programme scheme
The scheme has been criticised by some farmers for dictating how they should breed their cows, with some reluctant to embrace the star ratings and genetic indices required in the scheme.
The high dropout rate is four times greater than any other rural development programme scheme, figures released by Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed following a request from Fianna Fáil’s Charlie McConalogue show.
The Knowledge Transfer scheme, with an annual budget of €25m, has seen 1,142 farmers withdraw. This is just 6% of 19,677 farmers who originally joined.
The Sheep Welfare Scheme, launched in 2017, saw just 1,239 farmers withdraw.
There are 18,839 farmers currently in the scheme and they received €17.65m in payments last year.
Read more
Map: one in 10 BDGP participants still awaiting payment
Maps: how many exited BDGP in your county?
Top tips: picking replacement heifers this spring
Suckler farmers who dropped out of the Beef Data and Genomics Programme (BDGP) left more than €38m behind them in potential payments.
Approximately one in every four of the 31,799 farmers who applied to participate in either BDGP I or II have left the programme.
Some 7,281 farmers left the scheme, with just 24,531 active participants currently.
Of those who left, 859 farmers were excluded for not completing training or carbon navigator requirements.
The 6,422 farmers who left the programme voluntarily could have earned an estimated €38.6m in payments from the scheme. Those who have stuck with the scheme have been paid over €164m to date.
Most farmers withdrew in the first year of both BDGP I and II, avoiding any clawback of payments.
The high dropout rate is four times greater than any other rural development programme scheme
The scheme has been criticised by some farmers for dictating how they should breed their cows, with some reluctant to embrace the star ratings and genetic indices required in the scheme.
The high dropout rate is four times greater than any other rural development programme scheme, figures released by Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed following a request from Fianna Fáil’s Charlie McConalogue show.
The Knowledge Transfer scheme, with an annual budget of €25m, has seen 1,142 farmers withdraw. This is just 6% of 19,677 farmers who originally joined.
The Sheep Welfare Scheme, launched in 2017, saw just 1,239 farmers withdraw.
There are 18,839 farmers currently in the scheme and they received €17.65m in payments last year.
Read more
Map: one in 10 BDGP participants still awaiting payment
Maps: how many exited BDGP in your county?
Top tips: picking replacement heifers this spring
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