Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Simon Coveney, yesterday (16/01/2013) launched the Sheep Technology Adoption Programme (STAP).
The programme is designed to provide participating flock owners with additional knowledge and skills to improve the performance of the sheep sector.
The programme opens for applications with immediate effect and is expected to last for three years, subject to funding being made available.
Total funding available in year one is €3million with payment per participant targeted at a maximum rate of €1000/participant. (3,000 participants @ €1000/ participant).
Eligibility Criteria:
There a small number of eligibility criteria that farmers must meet to participate in the programme. Farmers must have a minimum flock size of 30 breeding ewes, based on either the 2011 or 2012 sheep census.
Applicants who are selling lambs directly for processing must also be members or apply for membership of the Bord Bia Lamb Quality Assurance Scheme (BBLQAS) by 28th of March 2013 and achieve accreditation by the 30th of September 2013.
Alternatively, farmers without breeding stock can participate provided they have purchased a minimum of 100 lambs/hoggets (based on the 2011 or 2012 sheep census).
(Full story – see Irish Farmers JournalSaturday 19/01/2013, Page 24 & 25)