Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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456. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when applications will be accepted under the emergency fodder scheme; the areas of the country covered by the scheme; if areas are excluded; the reason for this; if he intends on introducing compensatory measures in the areas excluded; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33442/22]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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457. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if hay saved on traditional hay meadow is eligible for assistance under the emergency fodder scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33443/22]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 456 and 457 together.

The Deputy will be aware that on the 15th June 2022, I announced the launch of the €56 million Fodder Support Scheme. This is a nationwide Scheme which aims to incentivise farmers, in particular drystock farmers, to grow more fodder (silage and/or hay) for the coming winter to ensure Ireland does not have any animal welfare issues over the coming winter and next spring.  Dairy farmers are not eligible for the scheme.

Grassland declared on the applicant’s 2022 Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) application, including grassland that is Area of Natural Constraints (ANC) Category 1 land, is eligible for the scheme. The land applied on must be land on which  either hay or silage is cut and conserved on before 5th September 2022. Tillage land is not eligible for the scheme. The payment rate will be up to €100 per hectare, up to a maximum of 10 hectares with the maximum potential payment of up to €1,000. 

The online application system for the Fodder Support Scheme is now open for applications. Farmers wishing to apply can do so either themselves or through their advisor up to the 2nd August 2022 by logging on to agfood.ie.

As per the Scheme's Terms and Conditions, Traditional Hay Meadow is eligible for support as long as all requirements under the Fodder Support Scheme are complied with. The full Terms & Conditions of the Scheme and a Frequently Asked Questions document are also now available on my Department’s website and can be viewed at www.gov.ie/en/service/448e0-fodder-support-scheme.

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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458. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if it is intended to introduce a scheme tin 2022 to incentivise farmers to grow catch crops such as kale and rapeseed as fodder in order to reduce the dependence on imported feedstuffs and to secure further fodder for Irish farmers this coming winter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33444/22]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy will be aware that I established the National Fodder and Food Security Committee in March of this year.  I tasked the Committee with preparing a multi-sectoral response to identify those issues that will arise for feed, fodder, fertiliser and other inputs, and to develop contingency plans and advice to assist farmers in managing their farm enterprises. 

Central at that time was the announcement of the Targeted Intervention Package which identified three key pillars aimed at supporting Irish families arising both from events in Ukraine and wider global price volatility. The package seeks to incentivise the planting of additional tillage crops through the Tillage Incentive Scheme and introduces supports to encourage farmers to grow protein crops in 2022. Supporting domestic production of tillage and protein crops is a key mechanism in reducing Ireland’s reliance on imported feed materials.

The Package also included a Multi-Species Sward Initiative and a Red Clover Silage Measure to promote environmentally sustainable methods of farming, and thereby reduce nitrogen fertiliser usage, while maintaining forage yield.

I have also recently launched a €56 million Fodder Support Scheme. This Scheme aims to incentivise farmers, in particular drystock farmers, to grow more fodder (silage and/or hay) for the coming winter to ensure we do not have any animal welfare issue over the coming winter and next spring. The Scheme will have a payment rate of up to €100 per hectare and I hope there will be strong uptake from farmers.

The National Fodder and Food Security Committee will continue to advise me in the coming months on issues relating to the security of supply of fodder for the coming winter.