THOUSANDS of farmers across the West of Ireland have received letters from the Dept. of Agriculture over the past fortnight confirming their eligibility for grant aid in the National Liming Programme.

Farmers who applied for inclusion in the scheme before the deadline of April 20, 2023, could include a total of 200 tonnes in their applications – however, due to the level of interest in the programme, a 40-tonnes grant ceiling is now in place.

The rate of grant aid in place for the 40-tonnes maximum limit is €16 per eligible tonne for purchase and spreading – in practice this means that farmers qualifying for the upper limit will be paying €14 per tonne to buy and spread the lime. [40 tonnes X €14 = €560 as compared to 40 X €30 = €1,200].

To receive the payment, applicants must upload an invoice showing the quantity of ground limestone purchased and spread as well as the cost per tonne – the deadline for applications is October 31, 2023.

Qualifying farmers will initially have to foot ‘the full bill’ for the lime purchasing and spreading with the grants payments then to be issued before the end of the year ‘after all the checks [Dept.] have been completed’.

Farmers have also been advised by the Dept. of Agriculture that ground limestone must be purchased directly from quarries that are licensed by the Department – a full list of these is available at: https://www.gov.ie/licensedgroundlimestonequarries

Connacht IFA Chair and candidate for the position of IFA Deputy President later this year, Pat Murphy, has called for the continuation of the National Liming Programme on an annual basis.

Pictured: Connacht IFA Chair Pat Murphy