Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue, has opened year 6 of the Sheep Welfare Scheme.
The scheme will commence on February 1st, 2022.
As in previous years, the DAFM will automatically enrol all existing participants in year 6 of the scheme.
McConalogue confirmed that these farmers do not need to take any action should they wish to remain in the scheme.
Year 6 of Sheep Welfare Scheme
In a statement on Tuesday, January 11th, 2022, the minister said:
“I was very pleased to be able to secure additional funding for the scheme in Budget 2022. It underlines my commitment to the sheep sector.”
“The allocation for Sheep Welfare Scheme has increased from €17m in 2021 to €19.5m in 2022 to cover the continuation of the scheme in 2022 and the change to reference year.”
He said the scheme provides “valuable” support to sheep farmers for undertaking actions that make a “positive” contribution to flock welfare.
New entrant sheep farmers
The minister urged all eligible new entrants to the sheep sector who wish to apply to participate in the scheme to return their forms by February 1st, 2022.
For the purposes of the scheme, a new entrant to sheep farming is:
- An applicant who has applied for a new herd number in the period, January 1st to December 31st, in the year preceding the scheme year or:
- An applicant with an existing herd number who has not held or traded in sheep for a two-year period up to October 31st, preceding the scheme year.
You can avail of an application form by contacting the DAFM’s Sheep Welfare Scheme section.
Email – [email protected] – or by phone on 057-8674422.
Other sheep-related news:
Meanwhile, one County Down farmer is hoping to overcome the challenge of finding enough space at lambing by shearing his ewes at housing in the winter.
Jayme Carvill farms in partnership with his brother and father outside Hilltown, Co Down.
The farm carries 450 lambing ewes, 300 ewe lambs and 120 bullocks. The enterprise spans 220-acres, of which over 50% is severely disadvantaged area (SDA).
Read this article.
