Pillar II Schemes II 23-27

Suckler Carbon Efficiency Programme

The aim of this intervention is to provide support to beef farmers to improve the environmental sustainability of the national beef herd. The programme aims to build on the gains delivered thus far through the Beef Data and Genomics Programme (BDGP) and the Beef Environmental Efficiency Programme (BEEP) by improving the genetic merit of the Irish suckler herd and reducing the greenhouse gas intensity of Ireland’s beef production.

A Replacement Strategy

The replacement strategy will cover both the Dams and the Sires. In years 1 and 2, 80% of the calves born on the holding must be sired by a 4-star or 5-star sire on the maternal or terminal index. In years 3 and 4, this will increase to 85% while in year 5, it will increase to 90%.

On the Dam side, in year 1, at least 50% must be at least 4-star on the replacement index on 31 October 2023. This increases to at least 65% by 31 October 2025 (year 3), and at least 75% by 31 October 2027 (year 5).

A Genotyping Programme

At least 70% of the reference number of animals must be genotyped each year of the programme without repetition.

A Weighing Measure

The Suckler Cow and Calf pair are weighed prior to the calf being weaned and not before the calf is at least 100 days old. This targets the weaning efficiency of suckler cows and calves by measuring the liveweight of the calf at weaning as a percentage of the cow’s liveweight.

4.  Data Recording

Participants must provide a range of data through animal events records and surveys including:

• Calves – ease of calving, quality and docility, size, vigour/vitality, scour and
• Cows – milking ability and docility, culling
• Stock bulls – docility and functionality, culling

A mandatory training course for participants in the Suckler Carbon Efficiency Programme must be undertaken in each of the first two years of the programme.

In order to be eligible an applicant must:

• Have submitted a BISS application in a reference year and continue to submit BISS applications on which all their lands are declared for the duration of the Suckler Carbon Efficiency
• Have beef breed animals born annually in the herd in each scheme year of the
• Be a member of the Bord Bia Sustainable Beef and Lamb Assurance Scheme at the time of

The number of Suckler Cows eligible per herd will be based on a specified historical reference period which will provide a ceiling for payment, but there will be scope to reduce numbers without penalty. A maximum payable area will be derived from the reference figure by dividing it by 1.5 and participants will be paid at a rate of €225 per hectare on the first 15 eligible hectares and €180 per eligible hectare thereafter.

Training to implement the Suckler Carbon Efficiency Programme

This training is to support the successful implementation of the Suckler Carbon Efficiency Programme. The current overarching policy objectives of Food Vision 2030 are to increase economic and environmental sustainability within the sector. Data from the Beef Data Genomics Programme (BDGP) identifies that it is delivering on both environmental and productive efficiency, which will have a knock-on effect on competitiveness at farm level.

In the Suckler Carbon Efficiency Programme, participants will be required to engage in activities aimed at improving the genetic merit and carbon efficiency including performance recording and genotyping.

Proposed Eligibility Conditions/Selection Criteria

To be eligible, an applicant must have been approved for participation in the Suckler Carbon Efficiency Programme. Training providers must be approved by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.

The total amount payable to the trainer per attendee at the training courses in year 1 and 2 is €100 annually or €200 in total. The cost of farmer’s time for attendance is factored into their payment under the Suckler Carbon Efficiency Programme. The total indicative financial allocation for this intervention is €4m for the period 2023- 2027.

Dairy Beef Welfare Scheme

The aim of this intervention is to provide support to farmers who undertake actions to improve the viability of male dairy calves in locally based production systems. Applicants will use high DBI AI for breeding dairy beef calves. All beef A.I. sires must have a minimum DBI that will be set in the Terms and Conditions for the intervention.

The measure is proposed to support the use of high dairy beef index (DBI) sires in dairy herds. The aim is to improve the beef traits of calves from the dairy herd to facilitate the retention of the calves on the island and integration into local production systems as a preference to live exports from a welfare perspective.

Proposed Eligibility Conditions/Selection Criteria

In order to be eligible an applicant must:

• Have submitted a BISS application in a historical year and continue to submit BISS applications on which all their lands are declared for the duration of the Dairy Beef Welfare Scheme;
• Have dairy beef breed animals born annually in the herd in each scheme year of participation in the measure;
• From 2025 the only new entrants permitted to apply for the annual scheme will be those who have commenced supplying milk to milk processors for the first time after the closing date for receipt of applications for the 2024 scheme year.

The maximum number of eligible animals per applicant is 40. The annual indicative financial allocation for this intervention is €6.25m, amounting to a total indicative financial allocation €25 million for the period 2024-2027

Sheep Improvement Scheme (SIS)

The aim of this intervention is to build on the progress made by the Sheep Welfare Scheme (SWS) in the 2014- 2020 RDP by providing support for actions that improve animal health and welfare in the sheep sector. The Sheep Improvement Scheme will contribute to improved welfare through targeted interventions in lameness control, parasite control, genetic improvement, flystrike and appropriate supplementation.

The following is the list of actions that can be taken:

• Lowland Flock Category A: Lameness Control or Mineral Supplementation Ewes Post Mating or Parasite Control (Faecal Egg reduction test)
• Lowland Flock Category B: Genotyped Ram or Scanning and recording of results or Flystrike Control
• Hill Flock Category A: Mineral Supplementation Ewes Post Mating or Meal Feeding Lambs Post Weaning or Parasite Control (Faecal Egg reduction test)
• Hill Flock Category B: Genotyped Ram or Scanning and recording of results or Mineral Supplementation Lambs Pre-weaning

It is proposed that the payment rate will be €12 per eligible breeding ewe. The calculations for this scheme are based on costs incurred minus the net economic benefit associated with the actions. A transaction cost of 20% of the total cost per ewe is included in the calculations. The annual indicative financial allocation for this intervention is €20m, amounting to a total indicative financial allocation of €100m for the period 2023-2027

On-farm Capital Investment Scheme

Grant aid will be provided for investment in the following categories:

• Environmental investments
• Animal Welfare
• Nutrient Storage
• Tillage Farmers

All applicants must:

• Must be an Active Farmer, aged 18 or over, be the holder of an active Herd number/ flock/tillage or department identifier and have declared a minimum of 5 HAs (1 HA for horticulture producers) of ‘eligible land’ owned and/or leased or rented which have been declared under the BISS) in the year of application or preceding Must also comply with requirements on planning permission and tax clearance.
• For young farmers – aged no more than 40 at any time during the calendar year in which s/he submits an application and meet the conditions for being ‘head of the holding’ and the requirements for the appropriate training and/or skills.
• For Women Farmers- aged between 18 and 66 at any time during the calendar year in which she submits an application for women farmer She must also meet the conditions for being ‘head and of the holding’ and meet the requirements for the appropriate training and/or skills required.

The scheme will include support at 40% grant rate for with a higher investment rate of 60% offered to young farmers and women farmers to support generational renewal and gender balance. Investment ceilings will be increased to €90,000 with separate ceiling for LESS equipment.

The first three years of the programming period is primarily financed via the Rural Development Programme 2014-2025. Investments for women farmers will be funded from CSP from 2023. A total of €440m will be made available under On-farm investments over the period 2021-2027, of which €340m will be funded from the Rural Development Programme in the period 2021-2025.

Collaborative Farming Grant

the objective is to encourage land mobility and succession planning as a means of increasing the current low levels of young farmers in the Irish agricultural sector and supporting increased access to land and generational renewal. A key barrier for younger farmers to access land is a reluctance for older farmers to release the land. This proposed intervention aims to build on the current Collaborative Farming Grant by providing a parallel support for older farmers to access a similar type of support to encourage succession planning and facilitate generational renewal.

The intervention will provide financial support towards the professional costs, such as legal, taxation and advisory, incurred for:

The establishment of a Registered Farm

Advice in relation to succession and/or retirement. As well as supporting access to land for younger farmers, this parallel support for older farmers would help alleviate the perceived barriers to exit for older farmers such as financial concerns, suitability of collaborators or ensuring adequate care of the

All Farm Partnership arrangements must be newly formed arrangements being entered on the register for the first time. Eligibility for the older famer measure will be determined with reference to Article 71 (7) which provides for Member States to grant support to farmers at retirement age or those that will reach it by the end of the operation.

Support will be by way of a grant to the administrative costs involved in establishing a new farm partnership arrangement or a grant towards the advice costs for an older farmer to assist a pathway to retirement – i.e. vouched expenses for legal, accounting and advisory costs. This financial support will contribute 50% of such vouched costs, to a maximum payment of €1,500 per beneficiary. The total indicative financial allocation for this intervention is €2m for the period 2023-2027.

Knowledge Transfer Programme

The aim of this intervention is to provide farmers with a platform to share knowledge and to engage in learning. This intervention aims to build on the 2014-2020 RDP Knowledge Transfer Progamme by providing support for high quality and targeted advice to farmers, delivered by professional agricultural advisors with the appropriate experience and expertise (KT Facilitiators).

Increasing farmers’ understanding of topics such as biodiversty, water, climate change, animal welfare and farm management including financial management and succession planning will ensure that the Irish agricultural sector remains resilient. This intervention is also one of the elements underpinning the further development of the national Agriculture Knowledge Innovation Systems (AKIS).

LEADER Programme

The aim of this intervention is to support a community led local development (CLLD) approach to rural development by funding initiatives that emerge at a local level that aim to address local challenges and needs.

Support under this intervention is provided to Local Action Groups (LAGs) to implement pre-defined Local Development Strategies (LDSs) in their local areas. A series of indicative ‘LEADER Themes’ have been developed from the evidence gathered during the SWOT analysis and Needs Assessment processes. Each LDS will be required to examine the potential of these themes within the LDS process and in the context of an integrated regional and local planning approach. The indicative high-level LEADER themes are

• Economic Development and Job Creation
• Rural Infrastructure and Social Inclusion and
• Sustainable Development of Rural Environment and Climate Change

The Local Development Strategies selection process will consist of two separate phases (an expression of interest phase and a developmental phase). The Local Development Strategies will be selected by an Independent Selection Committee. Individual projects will be eligible for LEADER programme funding if they contribute to achieving the aims and objectives of the LDS and correspond to the objectives and priorities indicated for support in the CAP Strategic Plan.

Proposed Support rates/financial allocation

Support will be provided for the preparation and implementation of co-operation activities of the local action; and support will be provided for running costs and animation. Support must be in line with the aid intensity rates provided for in the legal framework and relevant State Aid limitations. Support rates vary depending on the type of project selected, with the possibility of aid intensity rates of up to 100% (TBC) available for certain interventions.

Project will require an element of co-financing of individual operations by public and/or private investors for most approved operations, in order to promote community ownership of the funded projects. Detail on specific aid intensity rates available for particular types of projects will be clarified in the detailed operating rules that accompany the LEADER elements of the CAP Strategic Plan. The total indicative financial allocation for this intervention is €180m for the period 2023-2027.