DETAILS of payments for small dairy farmers in Northern Ireland, under the EU Exceptional Adjustment Aid package, have been announced by the province's Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs.
A departmental spokesperson said: “£1.6m is being set aside to fund the Small Dairy Farmer scheme in Northern Ireland. The rate of payment is 0.2 pence per litre. This means that eligible farmers will receive an average payment of around £750. Payment is capped at 500,000 litres of production.”
The Small Dairy Farmer scheme, launched in May 2017, is the fourth element of the NI EAA package. The scheme will help maximise spend against NI’s £4.1m allocation of EAA funding for the benefit of livestock farmers here. It closed for applications on May 31, 2017.
The Rural Payments Agency is administering the scheme on DAERA’s behalf and payments to eligible dairy farmers are expected to be made by September 19, 2017.
DAERA also took the opportunity to remind NI beef and dairy farmers that the BVD Persistently Infected Removal Incentivisation Scheme remains open until September 30, 2017. This scheme encourages the humane destruction of BVD PI calves within four weeks of an initial positive BVD test. Details of payment rates and how to apply are available on the LMC and AHWNI websites.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here