The current low uptake of a scheme to incentivise the removal of calves persistently infected (PI) with BVD has led to questions being raised as to whether DAERA will be able to get their £4.07m allocation of EU exceptional adjustment aid (EAA) spent by the deadline of 30 September.
The BVD scheme was one of four measures announced last November by the then Agriculture Minister Michelle McIlveen.
The other measures included a pig industry competitiveness scheme targeting endoparasite control, a free soil-sampling and analysis service and training providing by CAFRE in business planning and risk management. The announcement came after lobbying from the Ulster Farmers’ Union who wanted all livestock farmers (not just dairy farmers) to benefit from the aid package.
With the various schemes yet to open, and a particular question mark as to what can be achieved by soil sampling in summer months, dairy farmer Charlie Weir, the chair of Fair Price Farming, maintains that it is time for a rethink. Originally, his organisation argued that the money should be used to fund a second voluntary milk reduction programme. “It should go to dairy farmers – that is where it was supposed to go at the start,” he told the Irish Farmers Journal.
With 12-month rolling averages still around 21.5p/l, and costs of production at 25p to 26p, he maintains that a lot of farmers are still under severe financial strain.
Added to that are letters sent to some farmers by banks giving them a deadline to find new financial backing for loans.
“This EU aid is doing no good for anyone. Its only legacy will be that it has been announced at the same time as dairy farmers are being put on to the street,” said Weir.
DAERA response
On enquiry, a DAERA spokesperson told the Irish Farmers Journal that they aim to get all the money spent on time. They expect there to be an increased uptake in the BVD-related scheme as more farmers become aware of the money available to dispose of PIs (£160 for a beef bred calf; £130 for a dairy heifer and £50 for a dairy bull).
“AHWNI and the LMC have highlighted the scheme on their websites and in their bulletins. The UFU has also publicised the scheme,” outlined the spokesperson.
They also highlighted that there are no plans to extend the scheme beyond the 30 September deadline.
“DAERA is aiming to ensure that the entirety of Northern Ireland’s EAA allocation is used for the benefit of dairy and livestock farmers here,” the spokesperson concluded.
Other countries
In terms of how the EU aid is being used elsewhere, the Republic of Ireland used its €11m allocation to part-fund a new low-cost loan scheme and England used its £15.9m share to fund business management training and roofing of slurry stores.
In March, the Scottish government announced that its £2.4m allocation would be paid out to dairy farmers. Those with a milk price averaging under 20p/l from January to August 2016 would get £3,250 each. Those with an average of 20p to 25p would get £2,000.
To be eligible, all farmers must be milk recording and provide projections to their processor of their milk production.
The Pig Industry Competitiveness Scheme is expected to be the next measure to open in NI, with a DAERA spokesperson confirming that the department plans to advertise scheme details on its website in the coming weeks.
The scheme, which aims to help farmers control endo-parasites, will cover the cost of in-feed medication for pig herds and the blanket treatment of sows.
It will also cover the cost of medication acquired from a vet for the individual treatment of sows prior to farrowing. In order to be eligible for the scheme, pig producers must:
Have a Category 1 or Category 2 DAERA farm business identification number.Attend a farm family key skills pig health training course on worm control organised by CAFRE.Obtain written confirmation from their vet that pig endo-parasites are present in their pig herd.“Details of the other EAA measures will be published as soon as possible,” confirmed the spokesperson.
The current low uptake of a scheme to incentivise the removal of calves persistently infected (PI) with BVD has led to questions being raised as to whether DAERA will be able to get their £4.07m allocation of EU exceptional adjustment aid (EAA) spent by the deadline of 30 September.
The BVD scheme was one of four measures announced last November by the then Agriculture Minister Michelle McIlveen.
The other measures included a pig industry competitiveness scheme targeting endoparasite control, a free soil-sampling and analysis service and training providing by CAFRE in business planning and risk management. The announcement came after lobbying from the Ulster Farmers’ Union who wanted all livestock farmers (not just dairy farmers) to benefit from the aid package.
With the various schemes yet to open, and a particular question mark as to what can be achieved by soil sampling in summer months, dairy farmer Charlie Weir, the chair of Fair Price Farming, maintains that it is time for a rethink. Originally, his organisation argued that the money should be used to fund a second voluntary milk reduction programme. “It should go to dairy farmers – that is where it was supposed to go at the start,” he told the Irish Farmers Journal.
With 12-month rolling averages still around 21.5p/l, and costs of production at 25p to 26p, he maintains that a lot of farmers are still under severe financial strain.
Added to that are letters sent to some farmers by banks giving them a deadline to find new financial backing for loans.
“This EU aid is doing no good for anyone. Its only legacy will be that it has been announced at the same time as dairy farmers are being put on to the street,” said Weir.
DAERA response
On enquiry, a DAERA spokesperson told the Irish Farmers Journal that they aim to get all the money spent on time. They expect there to be an increased uptake in the BVD-related scheme as more farmers become aware of the money available to dispose of PIs (£160 for a beef bred calf; £130 for a dairy heifer and £50 for a dairy bull).
“AHWNI and the LMC have highlighted the scheme on their websites and in their bulletins. The UFU has also publicised the scheme,” outlined the spokesperson.
They also highlighted that there are no plans to extend the scheme beyond the 30 September deadline.
“DAERA is aiming to ensure that the entirety of Northern Ireland’s EAA allocation is used for the benefit of dairy and livestock farmers here,” the spokesperson concluded.
Other countries
In terms of how the EU aid is being used elsewhere, the Republic of Ireland used its €11m allocation to part-fund a new low-cost loan scheme and England used its £15.9m share to fund business management training and roofing of slurry stores.
In March, the Scottish government announced that its £2.4m allocation would be paid out to dairy farmers. Those with a milk price averaging under 20p/l from January to August 2016 would get £3,250 each. Those with an average of 20p to 25p would get £2,000.
To be eligible, all farmers must be milk recording and provide projections to their processor of their milk production.
The Pig Industry Competitiveness Scheme is expected to be the next measure to open in NI, with a DAERA spokesperson confirming that the department plans to advertise scheme details on its website in the coming weeks.
The scheme, which aims to help farmers control endo-parasites, will cover the cost of in-feed medication for pig herds and the blanket treatment of sows.
It will also cover the cost of medication acquired from a vet for the individual treatment of sows prior to farrowing. In order to be eligible for the scheme, pig producers must:
Have a Category 1 or Category 2 DAERA farm business identification number.Attend a farm family key skills pig health training course on worm control organised by CAFRE.Obtain written confirmation from their vet that pig endo-parasites are present in their pig herd.“Details of the other EAA measures will be published as soon as possible,” confirmed the spokesperson.
This is a subscriber-only article
SHARING OPTIONS: