Following the announcement of Budget 2025 today (Tuesday, October 1), Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Charlie McConalogue has said it highlights a “strong message” to farmers that the government “values them”.
Minister McConalogue said that aside from Brexit Adjustment Reserve (BAR) and Covid-19 funding, the agricultural sector has seen the “biggest funding packages ever delivered” from today’s announcement.
The 2025 estimates provide a gross vote of €2.112 billion for the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM). This includes a capital programme of €320 million, and current expenditure of €1.792 billion.
Watch the below video for a synopsis of where the funding is going to.
“I am satisfied that following intensive engagement, we have succeeded in obtaining a balanced package that will support the sustainable development of our agriculture forestry and fisheries sectors in 2026 and beyond,” Minister McConalogue said.
‘‘I wanted in particular to build on the significant sectoral supports I have put in place since my appointment as minister.
“With that in mind, I am delivering substantially increased supports for the dairy beef, suckler, sheep and tillage sectors,” he added.
The minister has broken down the exact funding allocated for each sector.
Dairy beef
The payment per eligible calf has been doubled from €20 to €40, with an aim to encourage greater integration of the dairy and beef sectors.
The allocation of this funding will be agreed in consultation with the farm organisations in due course.
Beef
The payment per cow and calf has increased from €200 this year to €225 in 2025.
Minister McConalogue will continue to fund the National Genotyping Programme which will continue to contribute to the development of more sustainable beef and dairy sectors.
Sheep
The current rate of €8 per ewe under the National Sheep Welfare Scheme will be increase by €5 to €13 per ewe in 2025.
When combined with the €12 per ewe available under the CSP Sheep Improvement Scheme (SIS), sheep farmers will receive €25 per ewe in 2025.
Tillage
Tillage farmers will welcome a new €30 million scheme. This is in addition to the Straw Incorporation Measure (SIM) which will continue to operate as normal next year.
Organics
An increased budget of €67 million for the organic farming scheme has been provided.
Minister of State with responsibility for Land Use and Biodiversity, Pippa Hackett said that the additional funding will allow the scheme to reopen for new participants in the coming weeks.
“We have seen a period of tremendous growth and investment in organics in recent years, and we want to continue on that trajectory.
“The new National Organic Strategy sets ambitious goals for the sector out to 2030, including more than trebling the wholesale value of organic product, to €750 million by 2030,” Minister Hackett said.
Animal health measures
A new Targeted Advisory Service for Animal Health (TASAH), focused on anti-parasitic use and biosecurity, will be put into place.
This will provide for preparatory work, and a farm visit and veterinary consultation to advise on animal diseases – at no cost to the farmer. The output will be farm specific recommendations on biosecurity measures for each of the targeted 30,000 farms visited.
This will include funding to control TB, bovine viral diarrhea (BVD) and infectious bovine rhinotracheitis (IBR).
Forgotten farmers
Funding worth €5 million for the group known as the ‘forgotten farmers’ has been announced by government.
Water quality and the environment
A total of €716 million is being provided in 2025 for farmers participating in agricultural environmental actions, including through the Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES), Areas of Natural Constraint scheme (ANC), Forestry and Organic Farming Schemes.
In addition to the 2025 budget allocation, DAFM will be administering over €1.2 billion of EU funding, including for ECO schemes and the BISS payments to farmers.
Minister McConalogue has provided an increased provision of €60million for ACRES bringing funding for the scheme in 2025 to €260m. The follows his decision to accept all 55,000 participants into the scheme.
EIPs
The funding commitment under the €60 million European Innovation Partnership (EIP) ‘Farming for Water’ will be continued in 2025.
A budget of €36 million for EIPs under the new CSP Programme, has been allocated as part of the budget.
A new round of calls, to address a broad range of topics, ranging from sustainability to the use of technology in farming, will be announced in the coming weeks.
Knowledge transfer
The Knowledge Transfer Scheme programme which commenced this year will continue into 2025 and 2026 with the first rounds of payment issuing in March and May 2025 to farmer and advisor participants.
Forestry
The 2025 allocation for forestry is €91 million. This funding will support the forestry programme, and also provide for the Ash Dieback Reconstitution Scheme and the Ash Dieback Climate Action Performance Payment.
This includes an additional payment of €5,000/ha for ash forest owners who have engaged with an ash dieback reconstitution scheme
Research and development
Funds of €21.6 million have been announced for research and development in the sector.
Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) Martin Heydon will launch a consultation for a new strategy for research and development late this year.
Farm safety
A dedicated farm safety budget of €2.5 million has been confirmed for 2025.
The farm safety scheme will be extended to include fixed sheep handling units, cattle crushes and races, calving gates, farmyard floodlights, livestock monitors and sliding or roller doors.
Taxation in Budget 2025
An extension of the stock reliefs for a further three years to December 21, 2027 has been confirmed as part of Budget 2025.
The capital acquisition tax agricultural relief has also been extended, which is worth approximately €250 million per annum to farmers.
Based on macro-economic data from the CSO and Revenue Commissioners, the farmers Flat Rate Compensation will increase from the current 4.8% to 5.1% from 1 January 2025.