Seán Canney TD, Minister of State for International and Road Transport, Logistics, Rail and Ports and Leader in Cabinet of the Independent Ministers, has welcomed the commencement of payments under the Beef Welfare Scheme 2025, confirming that 2,987 Galway farmers will receive a total of €3.27 million under the scheme.
Nationally, Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon TD has announced that €28.07 million has begun issuing to 24,214 farmers, supporting 450,895 calves across the country.
Minister Canney said the scheme provides vital support to suckler farmers across Galway: “This is a very significant injection of funding for Galway farmers. Nearly 3,000 Galway applicants are now receiving payments totalling over €3.27 million. These supports help to improve herd health, strengthen on-farm efficiency and provide essential income certainty for suckler farmers who are the backbone of our rural economy.”
The Beef Welfare Scheme 2025 supports farmers in:
- Meal feeding suckler calves before and after weaning (€35 per eligible calf – mandatory)
- Vaccination for clostridial diseases and/or calf pneumonia (€12 per calf – optional)
- Testing actions (forage analysis or faecal egg count) (€20 per calf – optional)
Farmers who complete all actions will receive €67 per calf, up to a maximum payment of €3,015, an increase of €1,015 compared with the 2024 scheme.
Minister Canney urged farmers to ensure documentation is returned promptly where requested: “If farmers have been asked to submit meal feeding, vaccination or testing records, they should do so as soon as possible to avoid delays. This scheme is designed to support good husbandry, better herd health and stronger farm income, and timely paperwork helps ensure smooth payment.”
Minister Heydon has also confirmed that a further €28 million has been secured to continue this scheme, or a similar scheme, in 2026, with discussions already underway with farming organisations.
