Successful first year for the Beef Carbon Reduction Scheme

That money, scheduled to be paid this month, is being split between some 8,000 farm businesses who signed up for the scheme.

It opened to beef farmers on January 1 last year and ran through to December 31.

During that period eligible farmers who sent their animals to slaughter at 30 months or under were rewarded with a payment worth £75 per animal from April.

Animals sent to meat plants in January, February or March received £20, £40 and £60 respectively.

DAERA Minister Andrew Muir highlighted the effectiveness of the scheme in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving productivity in its first year.

“I am glad to see 8,000 (98 per cent) eligible farm businesses opting into the Beef Carbon Reduction Scheme (BCR) which is supporting both a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and enhanced productivity,” he said.

The Minister re-iterated his commitment to investing in environmental farming practices and rewarding farmers for providing environmental benefits alongside food production.

He added: “These payments demonstrate my commitment to supporting our farmers to enhance productivity whilst improving environmental sustainability in Northern Ireland.”

The BCR scheme focuses on increasing productivity and improving environmental sustainability by incentivising a progressive reduction in the age of slaughter.

The second year of the scheme began on January 1 past, with farmers receiving payments for animals sent to slaughter at 28 months during 2025.

The maximum age of slaughter will be further reduced to 27 months in 2026 and drop again to 26 months for 2027 and beyond.

The maximum number of eligible animals that can receive a payment under BCR is capped at 352,000 per year for the whole of Northern Ireland.

The department says, if necessary, it will proportionately reduce the number of eligible animals that each business is paid for under the scheme to ensure that this cap is not exceeded.

Farm businesses only need to opt-in once to the scheme, which is being implemented over a four-year period.

Only animals born in Northern Ireland are eligible for the payment and they must have been retained by the claiming farm business for at least 60 days continuously with the last 100 days before the slaughter date.

The good news for beef farmers has been offset by a warning for potato growers to be wary after reports that Ring Rot has been confirmed in two consignments of ware potatoes imported into the UK from Poland.

Ring Rot, caused by the bacterium Clavibacter Sependonicus, is a notifiable disease in Northern Ireland.

The potatoes tested positive during a routine inspection carried out by the UK Plant Health Service (PHS).

MP Carla Lockhart, the DUP’s Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs spokesperson in Westminster, described the development as “very alarming”.

“GB, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland are free of Ring Rot. The disease favours cool climates and could easily establish itself within the UK, causing substantial yield losses and economic problems for the potato sector,” she warned.

“The PHS has confirmed that tracing of the affected consignments has been completed at several locations. Remaining ware potato stocks at the source of origin in Poland have been destroyed.

“As a result, there will be increased inspections on consignments of potatoes arriving into the UK from Poland.”

Ms Lockhart added: “Control of Ring Rot requires vigilance from authorities such as the PHS and DEFRA, importers, merchants, and packers. This disease is already established in northern and eastern Europe. Surfaces contaminated by the pathogen are a potent source of infection.

“The UK agri-food industry is under an increasing threat from EU imports. A few weeks ago, I raised concerns with the DEFRA Minister about the need for additional spot checks and increased biosecurity at UK ports, to stamp-out the illegal importation of meat from central and eastern Europe.

“Illegal meat smuggling and the unauthorised movement of livestock poses a significant risk to animal health and welfare. Farmers are already anxious about Foot and Mouth Disease and African Swine Flu, and now a notifiable disease affecting potatoes has been thrown into the mix.

“DEFRA needs to step up and take a more robust approach to mitigate against the risk of importing animal and plant diseases into the UK. Farm businesses are under bureaucratic and financial strain, and its vital to remain vigilant and do everything possible to safeguard the future of the agri-food industry.”

Ring Rot causes plant foliage to wilt, but the most obvious signs of disease are rotting tubers. Discoloration of the vascular ring of the potato is usually glassy, and the ooze from the ring is cheese-like. Disease development leads to tuber breakdown and internal hollowing.

Disease spread is largely due to vascular infection of tubers derived from infected seed potatoes. Clavibacter Sependonicus can survive and remain infectious on a variety of surfaces, including potato bags, shed walls, machinery and other equipment that has been contaminated by rotting ooze.

Losses of up to 50 per cent are possible in severely diseased crops.