IFA Welcomes Grant Aid for Livestock Mart Display Screens

Cattle

IFA National Livestock Committee Chairman Angus Woods has welcomed the decision from the Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed to provide €300,000 grant aid for livestock marts to assist in the purchase of new display units, which will be used to provide critical real time market information on animals for sale, including details on breeding and residencies.

Angus Woods said the Department has explained that the new displays will allow farmers to view the ICBF star ratings for beef breeding stock and also EBIs for dairy stock. In addition, he said it is important that beef farmers are also provided with the EBI values on suckler replacement stock and beef bulls.

Angus Woods said that over the last two years, IFA had lobbied the Department of Agriculture for this grant aid support for marts and he is pleased Minister Creed had made the announcement today.

The IFA National Livestock Chairman again called on the Minister for Agriculture to immediately reopen the Beef Data and Genomic Scheme for 2016. He said based on the level of fall out in the scheme, it is clear that funding is available to reopen the scheme this year and allow in more applicants that are interested in joining the scheme.

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