Wedoany.com Report-Mar 12, Tirlán has launched a €5 million bovine tuberculosis (TB) support programme to assist its milk suppliers who are impacted by an outbreak in their herds.
The programme will offer an optional advance on future milk payments of €750 per cow to milk suppliers that lose over 5% of their herd to a TB outbreak.
This pre-payment will be available for herds impacted in 2025 and 2026 and will be deducted from actual milk payments to the supplier in year two and year three after drawdown.
In the case of new entrants to dairy farming, the programme will be available regardless of the number of animals impacted.
Funds advanced under this programme will be set-off against actual milk payments due by Tirlán to the supplier commencing two years after a supplier has received their pre-payment.
Tirlán chair John Murphy said that TB outbreaks create “significant financial and emotional stress” for affected farm families.
“Given the challenges being experienced by a significant number of our farmers, the board felt that it was appropriate for Tirlán to offer immediate and practical support to our impacted farm families,” Murphy said.
Tirlán
“This voluntary programme will provide interest-free cashflow support to those adversely affected by a TB outbreak and will supplement payments available from the state-funded Bovine TB eradication scheme.
“Once an outbreak is confirmed, we want our farmers to know that Tirlán will support them through the challenge,” Murphy added.
The co-op will also engage with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) and other stakeholders on how to optimise the effectiveness of the TB eradication programme.
Tirlán CEO Seán Molloy said that there has been an increase nationally in the number of herds affected by TB and Tirlán is taking a “proactive approach”.
The co-op will offer technical support and advice to farmers to reduce the risk, and the new support programme will open for applications later this month.
The programme will offer a simple and streamlined administration process and there will be no administration fee.
