The Minister for Agriculture, Michael Creed has announced that payments worth €36m under the Beef Data and Genomics Programme have commenced.
“I am particularly pleased that payments have commenced for the second year of this innovative Programme which will bring about reductions in Ireland’s greenhouse gas emissions while also introducing genetic technology into the national herd thus improving farm profitability.
“These payments, worth €36 million, have commenced issuing to 19,500 farmers who have verified their compliance with the 2016 requirements,” he said.
The Minister added that it is particularly important given the difficulties facing farmers at present that these payments are commencing now.
The payments will be a further boost for farmers in terms of cash flow as well as for the wider rural economy.”
BDGP payments will continue to issue on an ongoing basis as farmers verify compliance with the 2016 scheme requirements of data notifications and genomic testing.
The Minister indicated his determination to ensure that payments are maximised over the next few weeks and to this end he urged participating farmers to return all outstanding surveys and genotyping samples as soon as possible to facilitate payment.
The Genomics Programme forms a part of Ireland’s Rural Development Programme 2014-2020. It involves funding of €300m over the six year programme.
Its aim is to address weaknesses in the maternal genetics of the Irish suckler herd, make a positive contribution to farmer profitability and reduce the greenhouse gas intensity of Ireland’s beef production.
As part of the programme, this year farmers had to fulfill data notification and genomic testing requirements, as well as attending a training course and completing a carbon navigator.