Michael Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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180. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if there are any plans to review the suckler cow scheme. [61059/22]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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At the outset, I want to express my support for the beef and suckler sectors. They are crucial to the overall agri-food sector and play a key role in driving a balanced regional economy. 

Under the new €10 billion CAP strategic plan, beef farmers can avail of the Suckler Carbon Efficiency Programme (SCEP) with available funding of €260 million. The aim of the Programme which will run from 2023 to 2027, is to provide support to beef farmers to improve the environmental sustainability of the national beef herd and to improve the genetic merit of the suckler herd. The scheme aims to build on the gains delivered through the Beef Data and Genomics Programme (BDGP) and the Beef Environmental Efficiency Programme (BEEP).

The funding of €260 million in the lifetime of this programme is a recognition of the importance of the suckler sector to Ireland’s economy and will help in improving economic and environmental efficiency of their enterprises. Improving the carbon efficiency of suckler cows will play a key role in reducing Ireland’s emissions into the future. Payment rates of €150 for the first 10 cows and €120 for the remainder up to a max of 100 per herd will apply.

Operational information including details of the scheme will be announced in due course.

Farmers will be able to apply for the scheme from early 2023.

More generally for the beef sector, my Department provides a range of financial aids to support beef farm incomes and to support economic and environmental efficiency.

Also, under the new CAP there is provision for enhanced support for early-stage producer organisations which provides advisory and administrative support of up to €33,000 to groups, as well as supporting improved competitiveness.

Beef farmers will also be well placed to benefit from the enhanced supports for fodder aid, and a number of other support schemes, including for example the ACRES scheme, and the Organics Scheme.

As evidenced by the range of supports that I have outlined, I remain committed to supporting the beef sector and in particular farming families who are integral to the environmental, economic and social sustainability of rural communities.