A number of agricultural consultancy firms and businesses were listed by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine as being beneficiaries under the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) payments in 2018.
The Department of Agriculture published its CAP Beneficiaries database for 2018 today, Friday, May 31.
One of the key areas of payment last year was under the category ‘Knowledge Transfer and Information Actions’.
Under the KT scheme, the money is paid to the consultants, who then give participant farmers their due.
The recipient of the largest payment under the ‘Knowledge Transfer and Information Actions’ category last year was Teagasc in Carlow, which received €14,299,801.32 from CAP.
The agricultural authority’s Galway offices also took in €465,794, which was the fourth largest payment to be made under the category.
Vincent Costello Agricultural Consultancy, based in Ballinasloe, Co. Galway, received €1,035,635.18 under the category.
Meanwhile, Tipperary-based consultant Pat Burke in Clonmel accounted for €509,892.44.
Rounding off the top five largest beneficiaries under the category was Andy Roohan Ltd, based in Donegal; €356,910.53 went to Roohan’s enterprise.
Other categories
Other categories of CAP payments of note include the ‘Aids to Producer Organisations’ aspect, which saw two large recipients.
Commercial Mushroom PRS Co-op, based in Co. Monaghan, received €4,104,709.50 under this category; in addition, Quality Green Producer Organisation DAC (designated activity company), located in Co. Waterford, received €264,093.48 in producer organisation aid.
The Hen Harrier Project in Athenry-Oranmore, Co. Galway took in €752,898.03 under this category, while the Pearl Mussel Project in south and west Co. Kerry received €256,361.52.