IFA president Joe Healy has welcomed the new funding for the sheep sector and Disadvantaged Areas (ANCs) in the draft Government documents.

“The IFA will be working with the new Government on the implementation of all of the measures on agriculture and will be demanding a strong response from the new Minister for Agriculture to address the severe income crisis in farming. Both measures need to be in this year’s budget and paid out to farmers in 2017.”

Positive development

IFA national sheep committee chair John Lynskey said: “The proposal to provide funding of €25m for the sheep sector is a very positive development and can provide a payment equivalent to about €10 per ewe. The sheep committee worked hard with an intensive campaign over the last year and we are delighted the low-income sheep sector is being recognised.”

On the payment mechanism, Lynskey added: “It is vitally important that the new sheep payment is targeted at active sheep farmers in both hill and lowland areas and available on all breeding ewes. It is essential bureaucracy and costs are kept to an absolute minimum as incomes on sheep farms are unacceptably low.”

Markets strengthening

Meanwhile, sheep markets have strengthened with the delayed onset of spring lambs coming on to the market failing to compensate for rapidly falling hogget supplies.

Prices for spring lambs range in the main from €5.70/kg to €5.75/kg with competition strong in the west where regular sellers and those handling high numbers are securing €5.80/kg to €5.85/kg. Hoggets are trading from €5.30/kg to €5.35/kg.