While incidences of TB levels in cattle herds last year fell on 2014 levels thousands of farms were locked up with the disease.

Having an animal go down with TB can often cause considerable hardship on farms with farmers unable to sell stock often for long periods.

Many farmers often ask if the Department is allowed to carry out on-farm inspections during these periods, where farmers may have increased stock levels due to the inability to sell stock.

Inspections

In the context of delivering the Basic Payment Scheme, Areas of Natural Constraints Scheme, and other area based schemes, the Department is required to carry out annual inspections covering both the eligibility of the land declared to draw down payments and also cross compliance aspects, to ensure compliance with EU regulatory requirements, in the areas of the environment, climate change and good agricultural condition of land and also in the areas of public, animal and plant health and animal welfare.

These inspections are mandatory and there are certain minimum numbers and types of inspections that must take place annually.

The Department says in that regard Inspectors are permitted to carry out inspections when farmers are “locked up” owing to the TB eradication scheme.

Proposed changes to the Income Supplement scheme for farmers losing animals as TB reactors have been broadly welcomed by farming organisations.

The changes represent the first revision to the scheme in over 20 years and are set to be implemented in the coming weeks.

Key Changes

  • Increasing the rate of payment for dairy cows from €25.39/cow/month to €55
  • Paying the grant when at least 10% of cows are removed from the herd as opposed to when over 10% of the herd are removed
  • The abolition of the 100-animal ceiling are all measures that will reduce some of the huge financial burden experienced by dairy farmers in the TB eradication programme.
  • Increasing the Depopulation grant for suckler cows by 19%, bringing it into line with the income supplement rate of €38/month/cow
  • Increase to the ceilings on payments under the On Farm Valuation scheme from €2,800 for a bovine to €3,000 and from €3,500 to €4,000 for a stock bull and €5,000 for a pedigree bull