AGRICULTURE Minister, Charlie McConalogue, needs to provide ‘clarity and certainty’ as a matter of urgency on the National Liming Programme announced earlier this year, according to a Galway IFA representative.

Galway IFA Environmental Chair, Henry Walsh, said that as farmers moved into the autumn period and approached the final window for the spreading of lime, they still didn’t know how much of a grant they would get from the Department.

“Farmers embraced the liming programme with open arms and it makes sense on all fronts to bring pH levels on Irish farms up to an optimum level but now as September approaches we still don’t know how much of a subsidy farmers will receive,” said Henry Walsh.

According to the Dept. of Agriculture, with 41,000 farmers applying to spread 4.5 million tonnes under the scheme – an average of nearly 110 tonnes per applicant – the budget required would be €72 million to provide a subsidy of €16 per tonne.

The total budget for the scheme announced early this year by Minister McConalogue was just €8 million, which would only cover 1/9th or 11% of the required demand. However, last weekend the Minister confirmed a doubling of the ‘lime budget’ to €16m. (See page 59).

Following the April 20, 2023, deadline for applications, Minister McConalogue said that the interest shown by farmers in the scheme was a clear indication of their environmental interest and strength.

Pictured: Agriculture Minister, Charlie McConalogue