CAP Strategic Plan Dairy Beef Welfare Scheme opens to new applicants
- Published on: 9 April 2025
- Last updated on: 11 April 2025
Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon, today announced the reopening of the CAP Strategic Plan (CSP) Dairy Beef Welfare Scheme (DBWS) for new applicants. The DBWS has a budget of €25 million over four years (2024 – 2027) and is co-funded by the European Union as part of the Common Agricultural Policy Strategic Plan.
Commenting on the reopening of the scheme, Minister Heydon said:
“I am delighted to announce year two of the Dairy Beef Welfare Scheme is now open to new applicants. This scheme, which facilitates an annual opening for new applicants, demonstrates the commitment of this government to supporting greater integration of the dairy and beef herds to improve the quality, welfare and viability of male calves from dairy herds.”
The DBWS is a breeding measure providing support to dairy farmers to improve the animal health and welfare of the national dairy herd by using genetically superior beef sires for breeding dairy beef calves. Participants are required to use AI straws or stock bulls with a minimum rating of three stars on the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBF) Dairy Beef Index (DBI) and on the beef sub-index of the DBI.
This is the second year of the scheme as part of the CAP Strategic Plan with payments of €4.73 million issuing last month to some 7,612 farmers who applied to participate in the scheme in 2024. Applicants to the scheme in 2024, do not need to reapply to the scheme as their application will automatically roll over to 2025.
The Minister commented:
“In addition to the Dairy Beef Welfare Scheme, a sum of €4 million was allocated in Budget 2025 for the implementation of the exchequer-funded National Dairy Beef Weighing Scheme which is also open for applications via agfood.ie until 15 May 2025, further proving this government’s commitment to support this sector.”
The Minister concluded by reminding farmers:
“If you applied for the Dairy Beef Welfare Scheme in 2024 you do not need to reapply as your participation in the scheme will automatically continue.”
Farmers satisfy the scheme requirements will receive a payment of €20 per eligible calf up to a maximum of 50 calves per holding.
New applicants, or the FAS advisor authorised to act on their behalf, can submit their application to the CSP Dairy Beef Welfare Scheme online through agfood.ie until 23.59hrs on 15 May 2025. Access the scheme terms and conditions.
Notes
About Ireland’s CAP Strategic Plan 2023-2027
The EU’s common agricultural policy (CAP) is a partnership between society and agriculture that ensures a stable supply of food, safeguards farmers’ income, protects the environment and keeps rural areas vibrant. EU countries implement the CAP at national level with a CAP Strategic Plan for the period 2023-2027.
The Dairy Beef Welfare Scheme has been introduced to provide support to dairy farmers to improve the animal health and welfare of the national herd by using better genetic merit beef sires. The scheme shall run for four years from 2024 to 2027. Payment is €20 per eligible calf, up to a maximum of 50 calves, for each of the scheme years that the applicant is an active participant.
Active participants who applied in 2024 will be eligible for payment for each of the four years of the scheme, subject to compliance with scheme terms and conditions. Farmers who apply for the scheme in 2025 will be eligible for payment for 2025, 2026 and 2027, farmers who apply for the scheme in 2026 will be eligible for payment for 2026 and 2027, and farmers who apply in 2027 will be eligible for payment in 2027 only, subject to compliance with scheme terms and conditions.
Payments will be made to eligible participants in the March following the scheme year end, for example, Payments for Scheme Year 2 (1 January 2025 to 31 December 2025) will be made in March 2026 to eligible applicants.