Ensure to tick the boxes for sheep scheme

SHEEP farmers have been advised this week to ‘tick all the boxes’ in relation to qualifying for the new Sheep Welfare Scheme (SWS) that was officially launched this week by Minister for Agriculture, Michael Creed.

Galway IFA Sheep Committee Chairman, Michael Murphy, said that while the scheme was relatively straightforward it was important that all applicants had their basic homework done to ensure that they got in.

“The animal welfare requirements of the scheme are pretty straightforward but what we want to ensure is that no one misses out because of paperwork not being completed.

“It is important – and indeed necessary – that the census form for 2016 be completed by all applicants. The scheme has been the culmination of two years hard work and we certainly don’t want to see anyone miss out,” said Michael Murphy.

He also advised farmers to bear in mind that whatever two measures they committed to in the scheme, they would have to stick with them for the duration of the programme. [4 years].

Michael Murphy also pointed out that ewe lambs would not qualify for the 2017 scheme and that the qualifying figure for inclusion would depend on the farmers’ ewe numbers in  2014/2015 [an average of both censuses].

The Sheep Welfare Scheme provides funding of €25 million in 2017 and while Minister Creed and the Dept. of Agriculture haven’t ‘committed’ to the overall duration of the programme, it is expected to be of four year duration.

January 31, 2017, is the deadline for application for inclusion in the scheme and between now and then, the Dept. of Agriculture will hold a series of information meetings across the country’s main sheep regions.

The Galway meeting on SWS has been scheduled for Peacock’s of Maam Cross on Tuesday, January 17, at 8pm with the Mayo meeting taking place in Breaffy House, Castlebar, on Monday, January 17, also at 8pm. There is also a meeting in the Hodson Bay Hotel, Athlone, on Wednesday night, January 18 (8pm).

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.