{"id":1324963,"date":"2024-06-20T06:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-06-20T05:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.agriland.ie\/?p=1324963"},"modified":"2024-06-19T17:24:45","modified_gmt":"2024-06-19T16:24:45","slug":"how-many-farmers-applied-for-the-reseeding-grant-this-year","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lightsail.agriland.ie\/farming-news\/how-many-farmers-applied-for-the-reseeding-grant-this-year\/","title":{"rendered":"How many farmers applied for the reseeding grant this year?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Large numbers of farmers applied for the ‘reseeding grant’ which offered a financial incentive of up to \u20ac300\/ha, or approximately \u20ac122\/ac to reseed land with two different sward types.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The 2024 Multi-species Sward and Red Clover Silage Measures opened<\/a> for applications on Tuesday, March 5 this year through the Basic Income Support for Sustainability (BISS) online application system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The deadline<\/a> for farmers or their advisors to submit applications for these schemes in 2024 fell on Wednesday (May 15).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) has recently provided Agriland <\/em>with information on the number of applicants to the Red Clover Silage Measure (RCSM) and Multi-Species Swards Measure (MSSM) and the area of ground entered under each initiative.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The total applicants and area\/measure are set out below:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Measure<\/th>Number of applicants<\/th>Area (Ha)<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
MSSM<\/strong><\/td>1,062<\/td>5,341<\/td><\/tr>
RCSM<\/strong><\/td>1,392<\/td>9,727<\/td><\/tr>
Total<\/strong><\/td><\/td>15,068<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>
Source: DAFM<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

DAFM specified that amendments were allowed up to May 31 and that these figures were subject to change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to the DAFM information, over 15,000ha or 37,200ac of land were entered in the two measures combined. 5,341ha were entered for the MSSM and 9,727ha were applied for under the RCSM.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The RCSM proved to be the more popular option amongst farmers with 1,392 applicants under this initiative versus 1,062Ha under the MSSM.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To be eligible under these measures the swards must be sown between July 16, 2023 and July 15, 2024 and established by September 30, 2024.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\"Reseeding<\/a>
Red clover silage <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

According to the DAFM, the RCSM and MSSM aim “to incentivise farmers to explore less nitrogen intensive forms of production”.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Launching the measures earlier this year, the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue said: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFollowing on from the success of the two previous years’ programmes, I welcome the reopening of these two measures which will expand on the areas already established.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

\u201cAs part of the ongoing commitment by this Government to support and improve the sustainability of farming, the 2024 budget will be \u20ac2.5 million for the measures.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

\u201cA payment rate of up to \u20ac300\/ha has been retained and will allow for the continuing support in establishing these swards that assist farmers reduce their chemical fertilise usage.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The minister added that the establishment of red clover silage and multi-species swards “creates opportunities for farmers to improve the environmental and sustainability of their farming systems”.<\/p>\n\n\n