An increase in compensation rates for farmers that go down with tuberculosis (TB) has been agreed, the Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers’ Association (ICMSA) has said.
Furthermore, a once-off contribution will be made to breeding herds that are required to carry out additional testing in line with new TB regulations.
Speaking after the 16th meeting of the TB Stakeholders Forum, the ICMSA Livestock Committee chairperson Des Morrison said that an agreement had been reached on a suite of increases in farmer compensation.
Morrison said the package covers “long-awaited and overdue” increases to the income supplement, hardship grant, and depopulation grant, with all supplements increased by over 25% for dairy cows and from 18-25% for suckler animals.
These new supplements will be backdated to February 1, for those restricted with TB.
New TB compensation rates
According to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, the new rates of compensation are as follows:
- Income supplement monthly rates:
- Dairy (current rate €55) – new rate of €100 for first five months after calving and €65 for six to 10 months after calving;
- Suckler (current rate €38.09) – new rate of €52 for first seven months after calving and €40 for eight to 12 months after calving;
- Other (current rate €25.39) – new rate of €30.
- Depopulation grant:
- Dairy (current rate €220) – new rate of €280;
- Suckler (current rate €152.36) – new rate of €180;
- Other (current rate €76.16) – new rate of €120.
- Hardship grant monthly rates:
- Suckler (current rate €38) – new rate €50;
- Dairy/other (current rate €25) – new rate €30.
There will now be a payment from the department to all breeding herd owners that wish to avail of at least one pre-movement test in 2023 to sell animals that may fall under these regulations.
The department confirmed that this once-off contribution will be a maximum of €70, to be provided to breeding herds in 2023 which need to carry out necessary required additional testing on cows of any age or males over 36 months moved from one breeding herd to another.
“This payment for one pre-movement test effectively allows a farmer to adjust the date of their annual TB test to align with their optimal time of selling animals,” Des Morrison said.
“There may be some additional costs on farms in 2024 in the form of an increased levy on milk and slaughter of animals, but these increases are expected to be minimal due to changes in the rules surrounding the purchase of replacement cows for restricted herds.”
There will also be a ‘brake’ or review of such issues on an ongoing basis within the remit of the TB Forum.
However, the ICMSA has called on the department to publish a clear document to outline all the changes to the TB Eradication Programme in the last number of years so that farmers are aware of their requirements and the updating of financial arrangements.
Morrison said that there “has been – and will continue to be – considerable work from all sides to make sure that this financial programme works effectively”.
“But it is important that farmers familiarise themselves with the new requirements – especially those breeding herds that will be moving cows into their herds on a permanent basis.
“ICMSA has worked hard with the TB Forum to ensure that the introduction and implementation of the new rules and financial structures are as simple and ‘hassle-free’ as possible and ultimately lead to a reduction in this scourge of a disease on Irish farms,” the ICMSA Livestock chair added.