Farming news in Ireland
That’s Farming editor, Catherina Cunnane, takes a look at some of five of our main farming news headlines, this week, which include beef imports, a bonus of €7,500 to renovate properties, the launch of the DAFM’s €10m TIS and May milk prices.
Beef imports into Ireland
This week, we reported that Irish beef imports rose to 51,665t in 2022, an increase of 16,994 tonnes – or 49% – on the previous year’s 34,671t, data from the Central Statistics Office shows.
Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue, recently presented the data to the Dáil in response to a parliamentary question raised by Fine Gael Mayo-based TD, Alan Dillon.
Dillon asked the minister to confirm the exact quantity of imported beef that has entered the Irish market in recent times.
The minister provided CSO-sourced data on Irish beef imports for 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022, for the months of January to December inclusive, as follows:
- 2018 – 43,437t;
- 2019 – 30,213t;
- 2020 – 29,921t;
- 2021 – 34,671t;
- 2022 – 51,665t.
In total, Ireland has imported 189,907 tonnes of beef over the past five years alone.
Read more on this news article.
Grants of up to €7,500 for ready vacant farmhouses for refurbishment
Grants of up to €7,500 (ex VAT) are now available under the Conservation Advice Grant Scheme for Vacant Traditional Farmhouses, writes Catherina Cunnane.
The new pilot scheme will provide grants for expert conservation advice to owners of vacant farmhouses in private ownership who are availing of and/or considering the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant.
The grant will cover the cost of having a conservation expert with proven and appropriate expertise visit a property, conduct a survey, and compile tailored conservation advice for the property owner.
The Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant provides a grant of up to €50,000 to renovate a vacant property.
It can be utilised in conjunction with the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) grants to help improve the energy efficiency of a home provided works are eligible.
The latter covers works of up to €26,750, as reported by www.thatsfarming.com in this news article.
Read more on this article.
Irish buyers & sellers active at Skipton’s sheepdog sale in UK
Irish buyers and sellers were among those sealing deals at Skipton Auction Mart’s most recent timed online-only summer sale of working sheepdogs on Tuesday, June 13th, 2023.
Francis Mongan, of Cullionboy, Co Donegal, K McLaughlin from Co Donegal, Con McGarry of Ballyglass, Co Roscommon, and Pat Byrne of Ballyglass, Co Roscommon, were among that made their presence felt at the sale.
The auction at the North Yorkshire-based venue saw a top call of £5,600, plus a trio of joint £5,100 second top prices.
Get the full low-down.
May milk prices
A number of milk processors have set out their stalls on May 2023 milk prices, with Lakeland Dairies, Kerry Group and Dairygold each making announcements this week.
- Dairygold: Base of 0c/L, based on standard constituents of 3.3% Protein and 3.6% Butterfat, inclusive of Sustainability and Quality bonuses and VAT;
- Lakeland Dairies: Base price of milk for May at 37.35 cent/litre of VAT, for milk at 3.6% fat and 3.3% protein;
- Kerry Group: Base of 37c/L (Vat Inc) at 3.30% Prot/3.60% Bfat and 40.61 cent per litre (Vat Inc) at EU Standard Constituents 3.40% Prot/4.20% Bfat.
€10m TIS
The Department of Agriculture, Food, and the Marine (DAFM) has announced the opening of the 2023 Tillage Incentive Scheme (TIS), with a €10 million budget.
The TIS aims to provide support to tillage farmers who continue to maintain the current tillage area converted under TIS 2022 and allow for additional conversion to tillage crops in 2023.
The TIS provides for two rates of payment, as follows:
- A payment of €400 per hectare for area newly converted to tillage in 2023;
- A maintenance payment of €200 per hectare for area converted in 2022 and a farmer maintaining their tillage area in 2023.
Read more on this news article.
See all farming news on www.thatsfarming.com
 editor, Catherina Cunnane, takes a look at some of five of our main farming news headlines, this week.){kind=link}