Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The Suckler Carbon Efficiency Programme (SCEP) aims to provide support to beef farmers to improve the environmental sustainability of the national beef herd. The programme aims to build on the gains delivered in recent years through the Beef Data and Genomics Programme (BDGP) and the Beef Environmental Efficiency Programme (BEEP) by improving the genetic merit of the Irish suckler herd.

Last month, I announced further flexibility for participants in the Suckler Carbon Efficiency Programme (SCEP) who may be impacted by the Irish Cattle Breeders Federation (ICBF) evaluation changes which came into effect on 28 November 2023.

Participants had already been advised that animals in SCEP herds whose index falls maintain their original index and are not impacted unless the SCEP participant sells that animal to a non-SCEP herd. This same provision had existed in BDGP, the precursor to SCEP.

The further flexibility I announced last month ensures that farmers in SCEP are not disadvantaged. This additional flexibility means that female offspring of genotyped females in SCEP herds that do not become eligible for SCEP on their own genomic evaluation, may become eligible if their sire and dam meet a minimum requirement on the September 2023 ICBF evaluation. That is where the dam was 3, 4 or 5-star and the sire 4 or 5-star on the Replacement Index, this female offspring will be considered “SCEP eligible” even if, when they are genotyped, they are not evaluated as 4 or 5-star in their own right.

Importantly, this flexibility would exist for all years of the SCEP programme. Such females will retain this “SCEP eligible” status where they are traded to another SCEP herd. If, however they are traded to a non SCEP herd, they will lose this “SCEP eligible” status.

I have listened carefully to feedback from farmers and their representative bodies in recent months and engaged with my officials and the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBF) to examine the issues being raised. The flexibilities I announced on 31 January 2024 provide assurance to SCEP participants that they will not be negatively impacted by the evaluation index changes which were implemented in November 2023 whilst still maintaining the integrity of SCEP and the Euro-star evaluations.