FARMING DESK

registering to import fertiliser directly must be kept as simple as possible.

“We are seeking a meeting with Department officials to raise the above issues and ensure a more common-sense approach is taken,” the IFA National Environment & Rural Affairs Chair concluded.

“A significant chunk is going to support vets, labs and even the meal compounders, who will have less customers if suckler farmers go out of business”.

Mr Cosgrave said that he was also concerned about the lack of certainty regarding a scheme for 2024 and subsequent years.

“Farmers are in the dark about the long-term plans for the sector and this is having a serious impact, not only on planning for the future, but on mental health,” he concluded.

‘Scheme supports service providers, not farmers’

pointed for the need for a front-loaded payment on the first 10 cows and practical measures and payment rates that would encourage participation.

“Unfortunately, the €50/cow payment rate is well short of what is required and while some may argue that there is a front-loaded payment on the first 20 cows, most of the financial benefit will be off-set through the IBR testing requirement”.

New scheme lacks ambition – ICSA

ICSA Suckler Chair Jimmy Cosgrave has said the new suckler scheme ‘lacks ambition’ and demonstrates that the association was “100 per cent correct” when it campaigned for a coupled suckler payment in the CAP strategic plan.

“The unfortunate thing is the public is being led to believe that this scheme is delivering €28 million to suckler farmers when it isn’t in reality,” he said.

The IFA too has expressed dismay at the new National Beef Welfare Scheme, with Livestock Chairman Brendan Golden claiming the scheme is “a support for service providers, not farmers”.

“This is such a poorly designed scheme. The payment per farmer is far too low and on too few cows. Most of it will leak to vets, laboratories and others. The inclusion of IBR testing is a huge error of judgment by the Minister,” he said.

“The scheme is an insult to suckler farmers and fails miserably to deliver on his commitment to provide suckler farmers with a replacement scheme for BEEP-S with similar ambition and practical measures”.

Mr Golden went on to say: “Suckler farmers will not be taken for fools by the Minister with this pathetic offering. He must go back to the drawing board with his officials to identify practical measures that add value to our farms,” he said.

This scheme must be redesigned; practical measures included; payment rates increased; and ceilings brought in line with the BEEP-S it is replacing,” he concluded.

FarmingPeople

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Castlerea Mart Watch

500 lots presented for sale on Thursday last with quality stores remaining a fine trade, while stronger, more forward lots obtained prices relative to beef prices at the moment.

Quality store heifers made up to €3.21 a kilo with bullocks making up to €3.49 a kilo. Forward bullocks made up to €1,920 and heifers made up to €1,950.

Cows with calves made up to €2,620 with dry cows making up to €1,960. The weanling rings witnessed the bulls peak at €3.24 a kilo and the weanling heifers topped out at €3.90 a kilo. The calf and runner rings, with increased numbers on offer, recorded an excellent clearance.

Sales continue at Castlerea Mart today (Thursday 10th) with our weekly sale of bullocks, heifers, cows, calves, runners, and weanlings. All sales commence at 11 am.

Sample prices for bullocks: Ch 485kgs €1680, Lim 475kgs €1660, Ch 420kgs €1400, Lim 450kgs €1370, Ch 535kgs €1530, BA 595kgs €1680, Ch 555kgs €1580, Ch 640kgs €1700, AA 635kgs €1640, Ch 790kgs €1920, Lim 725kgs €1820.

Heifers: Chx 390kgs €1220, Ch 400kgs €1190, Ch 395kgs €1170, BBx 490kgs €1450, Ch 430kgs €1320, Lim 445kgs €1250, Ch 735kgs €1950, Ch 680kgs €1800, Ch 550kgs €1770, Her 665kgs €1660, Lim 515kgs €1560.

Dry cows: Lim 800kgs €1960, Lim 725kgs €1910, BBx 710kgs €1740, Lim 725kgs €1700, Sim 745kgs €1700, Lim 720kgs €1690, AA 730kgs €1600, Fr 755kgs €1330.

Weanling bulls: Ch 295kgs €930, Ch 255kgs €900, Ch 260kgs €840, Ch 470kgs €1480, Ch 385kgs €1250, Lim 395kgs €1100.

Weanling heifers: Lim 220kgs €700, Ch 205kgs €800, Ch 265kgs €820, Ch 295kgs €840, Lim 315kgs €920, Lim 310kgs €870, Lim 390kgs €1000.