Payments of almost €35 million under the Beef Genomics Scheme and Grassland Sheep Scheme will begin this week, Minister Simon Coveney has confirmed.

Over €20m will be paid out to almost 30,000 suckler farmers under the genomics scheme, with €15m to be issued under the grassland sheep scheme.

The Minister said that suckler farmers will be able to use the genetic information garnered under the scheme in the future to more accurately predict the likely outcomes of the calves based on their parentage, "in terms of their likely quality, docility, susceptibility to illness, weight gain, confirmation etc. This technology can lead to a significant improvement in the quality of the individual and national herd.”

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Coveney added that he is proposing the roll-out of a six-year Beef Genomics Scheme as part of the RDP with an overall budget of €300m, which is currently being discussed with the European Commission, to be rolled out next year.