New TB compensation rates will come into effect from May 1, increasing the rate of payment for dairy cows from €25.39/month to €55, the IFA has confirmed.
IFA Animal Health Chairman Bert Stewart said that the new rates are a significant step forward in reducing the financial loss experienced by farmers.
Stewart said the changes secured to the income supplement scheme also include the removal of the 100-animal ceiling and a reduction in the qualifying criteria from having to lose 10% of the total herd to 10% of the dairy cows on the farm to become eligible for the payments.
Farmers currently in receipt of income supplement payments will receive the higher rate for all the animals they have lost in their May and subsequent payments.
The reduction to the eligibility criteria from May 1 means farmers who were not previously eligible because of the higher threshold and are still restricted will now be eligible for income supplement payments from May 1 where 10% of the milking herd have been lost.
According to the IFA, this addresses some of the shortcomings in the current programme for suckler farmers who have their entire herd removed as TB reactors.
Changes to the ceilings for the live valuation scheme will also come into effect from May 1.
These include an increase to the ceilings on payments from €2,800 for a bovine to €3,000 and from €3,500 to €4,000 for a stock bull and €5,000 for a pedigree bull, the IFA confirmed.
Furthermore, the reduction to the EBI top-up co-efficient for dairy cows from €1.35 to €0.50/unit EBI will not be implemented until the May 16 at the earliest when payments under the new arrangements will be issued.
The IFA has secured a commitment from the Department that the coefficient will be increased to reflect the reduced EBI indices when they come into effect later this year.
Under the new rules dairy farmers will be eligible for receipt of payments under the Hardship Grant.
Bert Stewart said that this acknowledges for the first time the enormous cost burden associated with calves restricted on dairy holdings however it must be built on in recognition of the full extent of costs involved.