Farmers can apply for up to €1,000 to support them with input costs for the growth of grass under a new scheme announced this morning.
The scheme allows for payments of €100 per hectare, up to a maximum of ten hectares.
Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue said the scheme is to encourage the growth of grass and fodder.
He said the scheme will also help deal with the additional cost of inputs being incurred this year.
The fodder scheme follows the introduction of a Tillage Incentive Scheme earlier this year, which paid €400 per additional hectare of grain grown.
The minister said it is estimated that scheme will lead to an additional 200,000 tonnes of grain grown this year.
The scheme is open to dry stock farmers only, rearing cattle and sheep and will be paid on hectarage being used for silage.
The application process is expected to open in the coming days
