Support scheme for commercial pig farmers opens for applications

Fianna Fáil TD for Cavan and Monaghan, Brendan Smith, spoke to the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine regarding the scheme and the need to have it “operational as soon as possible”.

The opening date for applications for the new €7m Pig Exceptional Payment Scheme (PEPS) is today, (7 March) and the closing date will be Sunday 20 March.

Deputy Brendan Smith commented: “This scheme is open to commercial pig farmers who have produced more than 200 pigs in the period 1 January 2021 to 31 December 2021 inclusive.

“This includes pigs sent to slaughter, exported or sold commercially from a breeding herd.

“I also raised again with the Agriculture Minister the need to introduce further financial supports due to the very serious pressures facing this sector for some time.”

Minister McConalogue, in his reply to the Cavan and Monaghan TD’s most recent parliamentary question in Dáil Éireann on the issue, stated: “I am acutely aware of the challenges that Irish pig farmers are currently facing, due to a combination of extremely low prices and extraordinarily high input costs.

“I, along with other agriculture ministers, have called for an integrated EU-wide approach and for the commission to deploy appropriate solutions to the current crisis.

“However, the commission has consistently directed member states instead to de minimis and other state aids.

“A number of measures have been brought forward to support the Irish pig sector including intensification of promotion activity by Bord Bia and advisory supports from Teagasc.”

The minister added: “There is also support for access to finance through the Brexit Impact Loan Scheme and the Covid-19 Credit Guarantee Scheme, both of which are financed by my department in partnership with the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, and can be used for working capital.

“I announced on 22 February, the Pig Exceptional Payment Scheme (PEPS) which is a €7 million support scheme for commercial pig farmers who produced 200 or more pigs in 2021.

“This is an urgent, short-term response assist producers that would be viable but for the extreme current circumstances and allow space for a more medium-term adjustment to market signals,” he ended.