If you are a farmer who is participating in the Knowledge Transfer (KT) Groups programme you are required to attend five knowledge exchange (group) meetings and/or four meetings plus one Department-approved national event.
The first of these exchange group meetings kick off tonight, Monday 23, in the Breaffy House Hotel, Castlebar, Co. Mayo.
The next meeting, which is for equine participants only, takes place on Tuesday 24 in the Horse and Jockey, Thurles, Co. Tipperary.
If you’re living near the Tipperary Limerick border, there is a KT Group meeting in the Ballykisteen Hotel, Limerick Junction, Co. Tipperary on Wednesday 25.
Furthermore, farmers must complete a farm improvement plan in year one in conjunction with their facilitator/advisor – this plan will continue to be updated in years two and three of the programme.
Farmers must also draw up animal health measures targeting areas such as calf health, biosecurity, etc., in conjunction with an approved vet who has undergone Department training for the programme.
New discussion group scheme officially launched (€750/year payment)
The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Michael Creed, earlier this week launched the €100m Knowledge Transfer Group Scheme.
Knowledge Transfer Groups will be implemented for some 27,000 farmers across six sectors – Beef, Sheep, Dairy, Tillage, Equine and Poultry.
Participating farmers in the new discussion groups will be paid a total of €750 annually for each of the three years they successfully complete.
This funding is based on the standard cost approach recommended by the Commission and represents a 50% increase in payments under BTAP/STAP, according to the Department of Agriculture.
Earlier this year, Brendan Gleeson, Assistant Secretary at the Department of Agriculture said that the first round of payments under the programme are expected to commence in June 2017.