Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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The Beef Data and Genomics Programme provides for six years of payments to participating farmers for completion of actions which deliver accelerated genetic improvement in the Irish national herd and improvement of its environmental sustainability. A key requirement of the Programme is that participants must take genomic samples from selected animals using tags supplied to them.

Genomic test tags required under the BDGP have already issued in respect of two thirds of the animals to be tested for the 2018 scheme year and all tags will have issued by the week beginning 23 April. For the first time in 2018,  there are multiple providers of genomic test tags in the market which required my Department to offer all BDGP participants the opportunity to nominate their  tag supplier of choice.