The VAT being applied to milk recording services has tripled from 4.5% up to 13.5%, Revenue has confirmed.

This follows the expiry of an agricultural concession rate previously granted by Revenue.

A spokesperson for Revenue confirmed the move to AgriLand, stating that “milk recording services are liable for VAT at the reduced rate of 13.5%”. This is as opposed to the standard VAT rate of 23%.

It is understood that this hike in VAT will mean an increase in the cost of recording services of approximately €1 per cow from some companies.

However, one milk recording service provider, Progressive Genetics, has said it will not be raising its recording prices as a result of this latest VAT development in 2020.

Antibiotic use to halve by 2030

The increase in VAT payable on milk recording – which assists in reducing the use of antibiotics – comes on the same week as the unveiling of the EU’s Farm to Fork Strategy – which has set a target of reducing the use of antimicrobial animal medicines (of which antibiotics are a subcategory) by 50% by 2030.

Launching the strategy on Wednesday, May 20, the European Commission outlined that the baseline for the percentage reduction targets on pesticides, fertilisers and antimicrobials will rest on the most recently available data – for example, the commission said the latest data on antimicrobial use was collated in 2018.