The Deputy may be aware that on 2nd November 2022, I launched the 2023 Fodder Support Scheme, which builds on the success of the 2022 Fodder Support Scheme. The 2022 Scheme had over 71,000 applicants, with each of them due to receive an average payment of €735. These payments have begun issuing to farmers over recent weeks.
The 2023 Fodder Support Scheme is a successor to the 2022 Scheme and aims to incentivise farmers, in particular drystock farmers, to grow more fodder (silage and/or hay) in 2023 to ensure Ireland does not have any animal welfare issues over the winter of 2023/spring of 2024. It is also a reflection of the significant increase in input costs such as fertiliser, energy and silage plastic that farmers have experienced over the past 12 months in particular.
Successful applicants for the 2022 Fodder Support Scheme were eligible to apply for the 2023 Scheme which closed at midnight on 5th December 2022. This eligibility condition was necessary to facilitate early advance payments of up to €30 million for the 2023 Scheme before the end of December 2022. The online system will re-open in May/June 2023 to allow the approximately 67,400 participants who applied for the 2023 Fodder Support Scheme amend the area declared or to withdraw from the Scheme if they so wish.
