Donegal had most Sheep Improvement Scheme applications
Over 19,000 farmers made applications for the new Sheep Improvement Scheme (SIS), the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) has confirmed.
The €20 million scheme will replace the current Sheep Welfare Scheme (SWS) under the new Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and will run for five years.
The first year of the scheme will cover from February 1, 2023, and will end on December 31, 2023.
Each subsequent year of the scheme will run from January 1, to the December 31.
The new scheme will provide direct financial support of €12/breeding ewe to farmers for “taking extra steps to improve the welfare” of their sheep.
The actions and options under the scheme are somewhat similar to those of the SWS.
The main difference with the SIS is the genotype ram action, which farmers must complete at least once within the first three years of scheme participation.
The DAFM will write those farmers who have selected the scanning action and give them an opportunity to change their actions for 2023, if they wish.
Farmers can also select the genotyped ram action in 2023, which would replace the scanning action in that year, the department added.
By the closing date of Monday, January 9, the DAFM had received SIS applications from 19,165 farmers across the country.
The data shows that the highest number of applications was made in Co. Donegal with 3,754 farmers wanting to join the scheme.
This was followed by counties Mayo with 2,631 applications and Galway with 2,225.
Limerick was the county with the lowest number of applications at 71.
The following table provides a county-by-county breakdown of the SIS applications received by DAFM.
| County | Total applications |
|---|---|
| Carlow | 396 |
| Cavan | 464 |
| Clare | 207 |
| Cork | 854 |
| Donegal | 3,754 |
| Dublin | 114 |
| Galway | 2,225 |
| Kerry | 1,623 |
| Kildare | 330 |
| Kilkenny | 244 |
| Laois | 181 |
| Leitrim | 685 |
| Limerick | 71 |
| Longford | 221 |
| Louth | 216 |
| Mayo | 2,631 |
| Meath | 499 |
| Monaghan | 217 |
| Offaly | 252 |
| Roscommon | 954 |
| Sligo | 827 |
| Tipperary | 371 |
| Waterford | 215 |
| Westmeath | 381 |
| Wexford | 458 |
| Wicklow | 886 |
| TOTAL | 19,165 |
For farmers to remain eligible for the SIS, they must submit their Sheep census annually.
They must also maintain the reference number of breeding ewes that they outlined in their application.
If the number of eligible breeding ewes falls below the reference number, an applicant must immediately inform the department.
All farmers who apply for the scheme will be sent a book in which to record the two required action they have chosen.
