The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) has been accused of sending mixed messages on the National Dairy Beef Welfare Scheme by changing the maximum number of eligible calves, while keeping the payment rate the same.
The department has increased the number of calves that may be included on an application from 40 to 50, however the payment rate has remained the same at €20/eligible calf.
Chair of the Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers’ Association (ICMSA) Des Morrison, has said this represents a “half-hearted commitment” from the DAFM, which is “ensuring that the scheme could never develop the momentum to become the positive option that it could and should be”.
Morrisson said that the scheme was recently demonstrated to be the best emissions abatement programme in cost/benefit terms and “could be a simple win-win” for both farmer incomes and emissions abatement.
“We just can’t see why, having taken our design and suggestions on board and seen the recent figures around cost and abatement, that the department can’t commit and get behind this completely straightforward solution to several problems,” he said.
“Why would you increase the number of calves that can be included but leave the payment per head at a frankly derisory €20, up to the new maximum of €1000 per participating farmer?
“It’s just baffling and a little alarming, considering how much this could move us forward in several areas for so little outlay,” he added.
The closing date for the scheme is May 2, which represents a one week extension from the original date of April 25. Morrisson welcomed this development and said it would allow for more consideration among farmers.
However, he underlined that “a much more realistic and wholehearted commitment” is required from the department, if the scheme is to reach its potential.
Dairy Beef Welfare Scheme
Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Charlie McConalogue officially opened the scheme yesterday (Monday, March 20), which will be funded via the Brexit Adjustment Reserve (BAR), alongside the Suckler Carbon Efficiency Programme (SCEP).
Farmers who wish to participate in the scheme must weigh a minimum of five eligible calves, which must be at least 12 weeks old, and submit the details to the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (IBCF) within 10 days.
Calves eligible for inclusion in this scheme must be:
- A male calf of a dairy breed cow;
- A male calf of a beef sire and a dairy dam;
- A female calf of a beef sire and a dairy dam.