INHFA livestock chair Brendan Joyce welcomed the introduction of the new scheme, but called for greater supports for hill sheep farmers. “With a total of €25m available for the scheme, the option to deliver a top-up for the hill ewe can be achieved,” he said.

Joyce said that hill farmers should be given the option to choose another measure from category B, which meant they could then avail of a €5 top-up. The cost of this top-up would total just under €3m and come in under budget, as 100% participation in all schemes is unlikely, according to Joyce.

Another measure under the proposed scheme is to provide flexibility to commonage farmers to increase flock numbers to their individual minimum. INHFA welcomed this addition and is now seeking confirmation for minimum numbers, so commonage farmers can restock, if necessary.

The details

The proposed sheep scheme, which was unveiled last week, would be worth €10/ewe and support around 34,000 eligible breeding flocks. If approved by the European Commission, the scheme would be introduced in 2017 and run for four years, under the Rural Development Plan.

Eligible entrants to the scheme must have their own flock number, ewes declared in the 2016 Sheep Census return and hold breeding ewes for the entire duration of the scheme.

As part of the proposal, there are two categories – A and B, with each category being subdivided for lowland or hill flocks. Applicants to category A would apply to measures covering; mineral, lameness control and meal feeding lambs, while category B covers parasite control, scanning and mineral supplementation for lambs.

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