The payments, totalling €9 million, will be paid to Beef, Sheep and Dairy Cash Plan participants who have successfully completed their programmes.

Individual payment rates are being maintained at 2013 rates as follows:

  • Dairy Cash Plan, €1,000

  • Sheep, €825

  • Beef, €825

    • Approximately 9,000 farmers successfully participated in discussion group programmes in 2014.

    Minister Coveney welcome payments stating that ‘the benefits of these Programmes in ensuring the uptake of new technology and the adoption of best commercial practice was highlighted in Food Harvest 2020 and so I am delighted to see the high levels of participation in the various sectors’.

    Funding for the Sheep Technology Adoption Programme will continue in 2015. Also, the 2014-2020 Rural Development programme proposes the establishment of Knowledge Transfer Groups across a range of sectors.

    The Minister said that ‘these groups will build on the lessons learned under the Discussion Group model and will see farmer meetings facilitated by highly qualified advisors resulting in the transfer and exchange of information and best practice’. He added that ‘this measure which will operate over three years will initially be delivered in the Beef, Dairy and Equine sectors in 2015’.