Minister of State of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Senator Pippa Hackett announced today that the next tranche of the Organic Processing Investment Grant Scheme is currently open and will close on 31 July 2022.

The Organic Processing Investment Grant Scheme aims to develop the organic sector ensuring a consistent supply of high-quality organic produce to the market. The scheme provides funding to processors who wish to invest in developing facilities for the processing, preparation, grading, packing and storage of organic products consequently providing them with an opportunity to further enhance income.

The Scheme continues to open in tranches; this tranche being open to 31 July 2022. CLICK HERE to view the Terms and Conditions of the Grant Scheme.

 

 

The Department of Agriculture Food and the Marine have launched the Pilot Farm Environmental Study (FES), this €5m Pilot Farm Environmental Study will provide a valuable opportunity for farmers to learn more about farmland habitats and to have the habitats and biodiversity held on their land recorded, mapped and assessed. Farmers will have the opportunity to gain an understanding of the value that nature provides on their farm. The farm habitat surveys will work to establish a framework to generate a database of baseline habitat and biodiversity data and a baseline for future targeting of agri-environmental policy, schemes and measures.

Farmers must apply to be part of the Pilot using the Department’s online application portal www.agfood.ie. The http://distancestudio.com/?post_type=page closing date for applications is May 27th. Farmers will be paid €200 for their time participating in the FES following the advisor’s successful upload of their FES results. The Agricultural Consultants Association (ACA) has been awarded the contract for the training of farm advisors on FES surveying and mapping.

To view the Terms and Conditions of the FES CLICK HERE

 

The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine has broadened the scope of the Protein Aid Scheme to include the cereal-protein mixes commonly known as combi-crops http://littlemagonline.com/tag/tina-turner/ in 2022. The Department has indicated that farmers can receive up to €150 per hectare of combi crops, with the crops sown declared on their 2022 BPS application. The new element of the scheme aims to enhance the options to support the domestic production of protein crops and reduce Ireland’s reliance on imported feed materials. This has been a key demand of the Irish Organic Association to policymakers for several years, including at the CAP Consultative Committee where Gillian Westbrook is an active member. Organic farmers can also apply where applicable for the existing protein monoculture payment of up to €300 per hectare for beans, peas and lupins.

Under the draft CAP Strategic Plan, support for cereal-protein mixes is proposed as a key action for the new Protein Aid Scheme 2023-2027. The Irish Organic Association will continue to put forward our farmer members’ views through the CAP Consultative Committee and other fora as the process starts drawing to a close.

For the 2022 Protein Aid Scheme, farmers have buy Lyrica usa until 16 May to submit their BPS applications via agfood.ie, with the possibility to make amendments without incurring a penalty until 31 May 2022.

For more information CLICK HERE

In conjunction with other measures recently launched to address potential shortages in animal feed production the Department of Agriculture Food and the Marine have announced a Red Clover Silage Measure. This Measure will provide a financial contribution to participating Co-op/Agri-merchants to offset part of the cost that farmers will incur in the purchase of the red clover silage seed mixture. Upon fully documented verification of eligibility, a payment contribution rate of €50 per 12kg bag of red clover silage seed mixture will apply to approved applicants purchasing the dedicated red clover silage seed mixture. The mixture must include 4kg of Red Clover in each 12kg pack. The balance of the seed mixture must contain either Perennial Ryegrass or Hybrid Ryegrasses and may contain some White Clover.

The Measure will cover seed purchased from the farmer’s date of approval until 31^st August 2022.

Farmers wishing to apply for the Red Clover Silage Measure should apply through www.agfood.ie by the closing date of 14^th April 2022. 

To find out more please CLICK HERE

The Department of Agriculture Food and the Marine have launched a Tillage Incentive Scheme. This is to encourage farmers to grow more tillage crops in 2022 to reduce our dependence on imports. The scheme has a proposed rate of €400 per hectare. To be eligible for tillage crops sown in 2022 the land must have been in grassland in 2021. Farmers wishing to apply should declare the eligible crops on their BPS application which closes on Mary 16th 2022.

For more information and to read the terms and conditions please CLICK HERE