I hear that the Department of Agriculture has described Macra’s submission on a revamped land mobility service as “too ambitious” and coming with too high a cost.

This is despite the Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue stating at Macra’s national conference in 2022 that he would look favourably on the proposal. I’m told Macra has been asked to go back to the drawing board and take a look at funding through the European Innovation Partnership (EIP) route.

The minister is also on record stating that he would double the funding for the service to €100,000 in 2022 and link it in with Teagasc. However, The Dealer has been informed that none of this money for 2022 has issued to date and there is still no link-up with Teagasc.

Between the land mobility issue and the news that there is to be a cap on cow numbers for certain young dairy farmers availing of TAMS for milking equipment, you’d wonder if the generational renewal aspect of Ireland’s CAP strategic plan has fallen by the wayside in Agriculture House.