The eligibility criteria for the new suckler cow headage payment will be kept under review as the scheme is rolled out, Agriculture Minister Andrew Muir has confirmed.Speaking to the Irish Farmers Journal, Minister Muir acknowledged that farmers are concerned about not being able to meet the targets for the upcoming Suckler Cow Scheme.
The eligibility criteria for the new suckler cow headage payment will be kept under review as the scheme is rolled out, Agriculture Minister Andrew Muir has confirmed.
Speaking to the Irish Farmers Journal, Minister Muir acknowledged that farmers are concerned about not being able to meet the targets for the upcoming Suckler Cow Scheme.
“The department will monitor it. It is important that we are ambitious, but I get that it also has a real life impact. It is something that we will keep under review,” he said.
Calving interval
The current criteria is that mature cows will need to have a calving interval of 415 days to be eligible for payment in 2025, with this falling each year to reach 385 days in 2028.
For heifers, the age of first calving needs to be 34 months or less in the first year of the scheme, falling to 29 months in 2028.
Minister Muir said the payment rate for the Suckler Cow Scheme will be confirmed later in the year and legislation on new farm schemes will be introduced at Stormont in September.
For the full interview with
Minister Muir, see page 6.
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