Clare Fine Gael Senator Tony Mulcahy has received confirmation that 2,141 suckler cow farmers in County Clare have in recent weeks received payments totalling €730,650 under the Beef Data Programme.
Senator Mulcahy, who requested the figure from Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Simon Coveney TD, confirmed that a further payment run is due during the coming weeks.
The Beef Data Programme assists farmers in improving the genetic quality of their livestock, while maintaining a flow of crucial data to Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBF). In addition, a further €23 million of National Exchequer funding has been provided for the Beef Genomics Scheme (BGS) 2014.
Nationally, some €10 million has been provided from Single Farm Payment Scheme (SPS) unused funds for the Beef Data Programme (BDP) for animals born during 2013 and a similar level of funding from unused SPS funds is provided for animals born during 2014.
"Minister Coveney has informed me that a further payment run will be made during August but until the remaining herds/animals are validated, future payment figures have not yet been determined," explained Senator Mulcahy.
He continued: "The suckler herd is the seed bed for a quality beef industry involving many hundreds of Clare farm families and employing many more in processing, sales and marketing, and driving national exports valued at approximately €1.8 billion per annum. The Beef Data Programme in conjunction with the Beef Genomics Scheme increases the breeding data available and harnesses technology in a way that improves efficiency and ultimately profitability at farm level."
Senator Mulcahy, who requested the figure from Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Simon Coveney TD, confirmed that a further payment run is due during the coming weeks.
The Beef Data Programme assists farmers in improving the genetic quality of their livestock, while maintaining a flow of crucial data to Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBF). In addition, a further €23 million of National Exchequer funding has been provided for the Beef Genomics Scheme (BGS) 2014.
Nationally, some €10 million has been provided from Single Farm Payment Scheme (SPS) unused funds for the Beef Data Programme (BDP) for animals born during 2013 and a similar level of funding from unused SPS funds is provided for animals born during 2014.
"Minister Coveney has informed me that a further payment run will be made during August but until the remaining herds/animals are validated, future payment figures have not yet been determined," explained Senator Mulcahy.
He continued: "The suckler herd is the seed bed for a quality beef industry involving many hundreds of Clare farm families and employing many more in processing, sales and marketing, and driving national exports valued at approximately €1.8 billion per annum. The Beef Data Programme in conjunction with the Beef Genomics Scheme increases the breeding data available and harnesses technology in a way that improves efficiency and ultimately profitability at farm level."
