Johnny Guirke
Question:306. Deputy Johnny Guirke asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason there was no new support measures provided to suckler beef farmers in Budget 2022. [51451/21]
View answerWednesday, 20 October 2021
Questions (306)
Written answers
I am pleased to have secured over €1.8 billion of funding for the Department in Budget 2022 for the overall sector. This is in addition to almost €1.2 billion in EU funded direct payments received annually to support farm incomes and reward good agricultural and environmental practices.
Farmers can have confidence that this budget protects farm family income and supports action to improve safety and sustainability on farms. I have succeeded in maintaining all of the crucial farm schemes and the budget provision will also allow us to provide additional funding for a number of policy priorities.
More than €100 million will be provided in targeted supports for the beef and sheep sectors including BDGP, BEEP-S, Sheep Welfare Scheme and Dairy Calf Programme.
Other relevant measures include:
- €4m for the establishment of the Office of the Food Ombudsman
- €80m for on farm investments through TAMS including specific supports for solar energy installation
- A tax package that protects the stamp duty relief for young, trained farmers, and stock relief.
- An additional €2m to support farm safety initiatives
Within the 2022 provision some €872 million allows key Rural Development Programme and forestry supports to remain available through the transitional period between the two CAP programmes. This provides the budget to extend, or rollover, existing RDP schemes from 2021 including the ANC at €250m and also the BDGP and Sheep Welfare Scheme which I have already referenced. These schemes are vital income supports for farmers and provide a measurable public good.
I have worked closely with my colleague Minister McGrath to finalise a financial package for the new CAP that will support the agri -food sector and rural communities in the period from 2023 to 2027
In a time of transition, farmers can have confidence that this budget protects farm family income and supports action to improve safety and sustainability on farms.