Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 28 November 2023
433. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if an extension could be given to the beef suckler farmers for the new scheme (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51901/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe objective of the Suckler Carbon Efficiency Programme (SCEP) is to provide support to suckler and beef farmers to improve the environmental sustainability of the national beef herd. The programme aims to build on the gains delivered in recent years 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.
Under the female replacement strategy in SCEP, participants were required to have the equivalent of at least 50% of their yearly reference number in eligible females on 31 October 2023 for Scheme Year 1. An extension to 24 November 2023 was granted at the end of October 2023 to approximately 3,000 SCEP participants affected by the delay in genotypes being processed.
There are however still a cohort of these SCEP participants waiting for the results of their genomic samples that they submitted before 31 October 2023. It is in that context, that my Department has issued a further extension to these farmers until the 22 January 2024. An SMS issued to impacted participant's on the 24 November 2023 and a letter will issue to the affected herds over the coming days advising them that a further extension has been granted.
This extension is being granted until the 22 January 2024. At that point, these herds will be reassessed on 22 January 2024 to determine if they have met the requirement of at least 50% eligible females in their herd on that date. This extension applies to the 2023 scheme year only.
Participants who are eligible to avail of this extension to 22 January 2024 will not be paid for this action (Female Replacement Strategy) in December 2023 and they will incur a penalty of 10% of the value of the payment for action. However, should the participant subsequently be deemed compliant with the Female Replacement Strategy requirement on the 22 January 2024, they will receive their payment for Action 2 and be reimbursed the value of the penalty.
Participants availing of this extension must have the full requirement of eligible females in their herd on 31 October 2023 or 24 November 2023 or 22 January 2024 i.e. they cannot use an aggregate count of these dates.
