Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 23 May 2023
608. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of participants in the fodder incentive scheme in 2022 and to date in 2023, by year, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24452/23]
View answerFollowing the illegal invasion of Ukraine by Russia in February 2022, the Deputy will be aware that on the 15th of June 2022, I announced the launch of the €56 million Fodder Support Scheme. The aim of the scheme was to incentivise farmers, in particular drystock farmers, to grow more fodder (silage and/or hay) to ensure Ireland does not have any animal welfare issues over the 2022 winter and 2023 spring.
Building on the success of the 2022 Fodder Support Scheme, on 2nd of November 2022, I launched the 2023 Fodder Support Scheme.
The 2023 Fodder Support Scheme is a continuation of the 2022 Scheme and only successful applicants for the 2022 Fodder Support Scheme were eligible to apply for the 2023 Scheme, which closed at midnight on 5th of December 2022.
The table below indicates the number of successful applicants in both the 2022 and 2023 Fodder Support Scheme as of 18th of May 2023.
|
Year |
Number of Applicants |
|
2022 |
71,147 |
|
2023 |
67,451 |
