There appears to be movement on the payment of producers participating in both beef and sheep Knowledge Transfer (KT) programmes. Initial terms and conditions of the two programmes only allowed farmers to draw down payment from one programme.

IFA national sheep chair John Lynskey said: “IFA has made progress in securing additional payments under the Knowledge Transfer programme for mixed farmers with joint enterprises such as cattle and sheep.

“Under the Rural Development Plan amendment gone to Brussels, mixed enterprise farmers will receive up to €1,125 in payments if they join up two KT groups.”

Lynskey also said the IFA is pushing strongly for an increase in ANC payments for sheep farmers.