The Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers’ Association (ICSA) is calling on the agriculture minister to immediately announce details of a replacement scheme for the Beef Environmental Efficiency Programme (BEEP-S).
ICSA suckler chair Jimmy Cosgrave said: “ICSA has engaged with the department [of agriculture, food and the marine] on the need for a suckler scheme to replace BEEP-S.
“We have insisted that the scheme must cater for all suckler farmers including the majority who have not entered the SCEP [Suckler Carbon Efficiency Programme] scheme.
“We want a scheme that is not tied into five-year contracts, is not limited by quotas and which is not dependent on Quality Assurance scheme membership. In short, we want a suckler farmer friendly scheme.”
Previously, BEEP-S paid suckler farmers for weighing suckler cows and calves, however this measure has now been incorporated into the Suckler Carbon Efficiency Programme (SCEP) which opened for applications in March.
About 20,000 suckler farmers have applied to SCEP which was the replacement for the beef data genomics programme (BDGP).
The objective of BEEP-S was to further increase economic and environmental efficiency in the suckler herd though improvement in the quantity and quality of performance data that was collected.
This was done through the enhancement of the national herd dataset for genetic evaluations, supporting the adoption of best practice and more informed decision making at farm level.
Cosgrave pointed out that the second suckler scheme was promised in last year’s budget but so far has not been delivered.
“Suckler numbers are dropping at an alarming rate. It must be remembered that suckler farming is vitally important to many rural areas, especially in the more disadvantaged regions,” Cosgrave said.
“If we don’t support the suckler sector, we are just creating the condition for further dairy expansion.”
Earlier this year, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue told the Dáil: “I will introduce a new exchequer funded scheme in 2023 focused on beef welfare measures to replace the welfare component of BEEP-S. This has an allocation of €28 million.”