6,284 Mayo farmers to receive fodder support advance payments

ADVANCE payments to 6,284 Mayo farmers under the 2023 Fodder Support Scheme have commenced this week.

Each farmer will receive an advance payment of 57% of their total payment due in 2023, Deputy Michael Ring has confirmed.

He explained: “These payments, along with the 2022 Fodder Support Scheme payments issued in recent weeks, will further assist farmers in dealing with the increase in agricultural input costs, in particular for chemical fertiliser, and the impact that will have on the quantity of fodder produced and conserved next year.”

The 2023 scheme is a continuance of the 2022 Fodder Support Scheme and aims to incentivise, in particular, drystock farmers, to grow fodder (silage and/or hay) in 2023 to ensure the maximum amount of cattle and sheep feed is grown.

As part of the 2023 scheme, applicants agreed to the terms and conditions of the scheme which clearly state that where an applicant fails to deliver some or all of the scheme requirements in 2023, recoupment of some or all of the monies already paid will apply.

Applicants need to be mindful of this when cutting silage and/or hay in 2023 on the areas declared in the 2023 Fodder Support Scheme.

Applicants will have an opportunity to amend the area declared for the 2023 Fodder Support Scheme when the scheme’s online system reopens in the period May/June 2023.

Deputy Ring urged farmers with queries in relation to the Fodder Support Scheme to direct them by email to fss@agriculture.gov.ie.