Only 60% of sucklers to get £100 payment

Almost 40% of sucklers in NI will not receive payment under the Suckler Cow Scheme in 2025/2026, the Irish Farmers Journal has learned.

“The number of calving events currently deemed eligible for payment under the first year of the Suckler Cow Scheme is estimated to be in excess of 134,000,” a DAERA spokesperson said.

With official DAERA figures indicating there were 213,744 suckler cows in NI last year, it means only around 60% of sucklers have met eligibility criteria for the £100 payment.

In the first year of the Suckler Cow Scheme, the maximum calving interval for mature cows was 415 days and maximum age of first calving for heifers was 34 months.

The requirements are set to tighten each year, so the proportion of suckler cows that draw down the payment is likely to reduce even further going forward.

Eligibility criteria has already dropped to a 405-day calving interval, and 32-month age of first calving, for the second year of the scheme in 2026/2027.

By year four in 2028/2029, calving interval requirement is set to drop to 385 days and age of first calving will be 29 months.

DAERA set a limit of 222,000 calving events that would be able to receive the £100 payment each year, which equates to a maximum budget of £22.2m.

While total spend on suckler payments is set to be just £13.4m in 2025/2026, DAERA has indicated that any unused funds have already been assigned to other farm schemes.

“The budget for the Suckler Cow Scheme is managed as part of the overall management of the executive earmarked budget which for 2025/26 has been spent in full,” the spokesperson said.

The DAERA spokesperson also confirmed that checks and validations on eligible calving events for year one of the scheme are ongoing.

“Payments to farmers under the first year of the Suckler Cow Scheme are expected to commence on 25 June 2026,” the spokesperson said.