Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

895. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he has considered expanding his proposed silage scheme to include those with a mixed beef dairy farm and small-to-medium sized dairy farmers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35840/22]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Fodder Support Scheme was launched on 15th June 2022. The €56 million nationwide scheme aims to incentivise farmers, in particular drystock farmers to grow more fodder (silage and/or hay) to ensure Ireland does not have any animal welfare issues over the coming winter and next spring. Securing sufficient fodder will be more of a challenge in the beef and sheep sectors than it is for the dairy sector. There is currently no plan to expand the Fodder Support Scheme to expand the scheme.

The Scheme is open to farmers who meet all the eligibility criteria set out in the Terms and Conditions. To be eligible for the fodder support scheme a farmer must have eligible grassland declared on their 2022 Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) application, including grassland that is Area of Natural Constraints (ANC) Category 1 land.

The land applied on must be land on which either hay or silage is cut and conserved on before 05 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.

Online applications for the Fodder Support Scheme is now open. Farmers wishing to apply can do so either themselves or through their advisor up to 2nd August 2022 by logging on to agfood.ie. The full Terms & Conditions of the Scheme and a Frequently Asked Questions document are also now available the Departments website www.gov.ie/agriculture.