Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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524. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of applications to the beef environmental efficiency pilot scheme by the closing deadline by county; the number of applications approved by county; the number not approved by county; the number of approved applications in which payments have issued by county; and the number of approved applicants that have not been paid by county in tabular form. [37716/19]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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In January of this year, I launched the Beef Environmental Efficiency Pilot (BEEP), with a funding provision of €20m in 2019.  BEEP targets the weaning efficiency of suckler cows and calves, measuring the live weight of the calf pre-weaning as a percentage of the cow's live weight. BEEP had been announced in Budget 2019 as part of the €78m Brexit package for the agri-food industry. As well as clear environmental and climate benefits, BEEP will provide additional farm income at a time of market volatility and uncertainty relating to Brexit.

Some 19,131 farmers have registered their interest in participating in the Pilot and they will qualify for payment provided they comply with the requirements to weigh each cow and calf and provide the requisite data to ICBF in accordance with the Terms and Conditions. The €20 million funding available will allow for payment of up to a maximum of €40 per calf.  Payments are scheduled to commence towards the end of this year.

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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525. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of cows registered to the beef environmental efficiency pilot scheme by county in tabular form. [37717/19]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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In January of this year, I launched the Beef Environmental Efficiency Pilot (BEEP), with a funding provision of €20m in 2019.  BEEP targets the weaning efficiency of suckler cows and calves - measuring the live weight of the calf pre-weaning as a percentage of the cow's live weight. BEEP had been announced in Budget 2019 as part of the €78m Brexit package for the agri-food industry. As well as clear environmental and climate benefits, BEEP will provide additional farm income at a time of market volatility and uncertainty relating to Brexit.

Some 19,131 farmers have registered their interest in participating in the Pilot and they will qualify for payment provided they comply with the requirements to weigh each cow and calf and provide the requisite data to ICBF in accordance with the Terms and Conditions. The €20 million funding available will allow for payment of up to a maximum of €40 per calf. The details of the potentially eligible calves under the Pilot registered to those 19,131 holdings are broken down by county here: