EU Payments

Arable Crops Aid

Area payments can be made to farmers who produce cereals, oilseeds, proteins and linseed. Producers must make applications at the correct time each year and may be required to set-aside land. More

Suckler Cow Premium

Suckler cow premium payments are available to producers who have a suckler cow quota. For 2004 the payment rate is €224.15 per cow. More

Special Beef Premium

Special beef premium payments can be claimed on castrated male cattle at 9 months and 21 months of age. Limits of 180 head per age category apply and the payment for 2004 is €150 per head. More

Special Bull Premium

Special bull premium can be claimed once in an animal's lifetime on uncastrated male cattle. A limit of 180 head will apply and the payment for 2004 is €210 per head. More

New Slaughter Premium

A new all year round slaughter premium payment scheme commenced in January 2000 and is payable on all cattle over 8 months of age slaughtered in meat export plants and local abattoir or exported live to a non EU country. A retention period will apply where the producer must have held the animal for a minimum of two months ending less than one month before the date of slaughter/export. The rate of payment is €80 per animal in 2004. More

Extensification Premium

Extensification premium payments encourage more extensive livestock production and in 2004 will be paid to producers with eligible suckler cows and/or male bovines at the rate of €40 or €80 per head provided they are below the stocking density criteria set out in the scheme. More

National Envelope (Beef Heifer Top-Up)

For the year 2004 the €10.4m allocated from the national envelope will be paid as a top-up payment on the Slaughter Premium for all beef type heifers slaughtered or exported live during the year. A limit of 180 head will apply and the premium will be worth approximately €22.85 per head. Heifers will have to be aged between 8 and 30 months to qualify.

National Envelope (Replacement Beef Heifer top up)

The additional €10.4m from the National Envelope which commenced in 2001 has been directed towards encouraging replacement beef heifers for the suckler herd. This scheme continues in 2004.

Assuming a national replacement rate of 12% the premium will amount to around €76 per eligible animal. The number of eligible heifers can not exceed 20% of your suckler cow quota or 20% of the number of eligible animals applied on whichever is the lesser. Eligible heifers must calve down within the 2004 calendar year.

National Envelope (Dry Heifer top up)

The additional €10.4m from the National Envelope which commenced in 2002 has again been directed towards a top up in suckler cow premium in respect of heifers submitted for the premium which do not calve in 2004. The max number of dry heifer top up amounts payable is limited to the lessor of 15% of the total number of animals on which 2004 Suckler Cow premium has been paid or 15% of the total number of Suckler Cow Premium Quota rights held in 2004. . The size of payment will depend on the number of eligible animals, but it is anticipated to be €76.

Ewe Premium

Registered flock owners with ewe quota may apply for ewe premium on eligible ewes in one application, usually December to early January each year. More

Rural World Premium

This payment is made to sheep flock owners with at least half of their land in disadvantaged areas and is made automatically in conjunction with the ewe premium scheme. More

Disadvantaged Area Payments - 2001

The new Disadvantaged Area Payment scheme in 2001 replaces the old stock based Headage scheme. The new scheme is no longer related to stock numbers and producers will be required to apply for the scheme on their Area Aid application each Spring.

Payment rates for the new scheme are as follows:

Producers who lose out under the new scheme will have been compensated at a rate of 80% & 50% in 2002 &2003 as the new scheme is introduced.