Tirlán launches €5m TB Support Programme

Support Programme created to assist milk suppliers affected by Bovine Tuberculosis (Bovine TB) outbreaks in their herds.

Tirlán, Ireland’s leading farmer-owned Co-operative, has launched a TB Support Programme to assist its milk suppliers who are impacted by an outbreak of Bovine Tuberculosis (TB) in their herds.

Tirlán has put in place a €5 million fund to support the programme, which will offer an optional advance on future milk payments of €750 per cow to milk suppliers that lose over 5% of their herd to a TB outbreak. This pre-payment will be available for herds impacted in 2025 and 2026 and will be deducted from actual milk payments to the Supplier in year two and year three after drawdown. In the case of New Entrants to dairy farming, the programme will be available regardless of the number of animals impacted.

Tirlán Chairperson John Murphy said that Bovine TB outbreaks create significant financial and emotional stress for affected farm families.

“Given the challenges being experienced by a significant number of our farmers, the Board felt that it was appropriate for Tirlán to offer immediate and practical support to our impacted farm families. This voluntary programme will provide interest-free cashflow support to those adversely affected by a TB outbreak and will supplement payments available from the State-funded Bovine TB Eradication Scheme. Once an outbreak is confirmed, we want our farmers to know that Tirlán will support them through the challenge,” he added.

Seán Molloy, Tirlán Chief Executive Officer, said that there has been an increase nationally in the number of herds affected by TB and Tirlán is taking a proactive approach to the challenge.

“In addition to our TB Support Programme, we will engage with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and other stakeholders to optimise the effectiveness of the TB Eradication Programme. Following feedback from members of our Council, we will also be offering technical support and advice to our farmers to help reduce the risk of a TB outbreak on their farm.”

The TB Support Programme will open for applications in late March.

Details of the Bovine TB Support Programme

• Under the programme there will be a €5m total support fund available for affected suppliers over the two-year period (2025-2026).
• The programme is open to herds with a TB-breakdown between 1 January 2025 and 31 December 2026, in cases where 5% or more of their cows are reactors.
• The 5% threshold will be calculated on the basis of total dairy cows and in-calf heifers.
• The 5% threshold will not apply to New Entrants to milk production, who are eligible to apply to the programme regardless of the proportion of their herd impacted.
• *New Entrants in 2025 are defined as those who commenced milk production since 1 January 2023. New Entrants in 2026 are defined as those who commenced milk production since 1 January 2024.
• In the Republic of Ireland, the programme will offer an advance on future milk payments of €750 per dairy cow or in-calf heifer lost to the TB eradication programme, while in Northern Ireland £650 per cow will be available.
• In the Republic of Ireland, the programme will offer a pre-payment of €750 per dairy cow or in-calf heifer lost to the TB eradication programme, while in Northern Ireland £650 per cow will be available.
• Pre-payments will be capped at €50,000/£44,000 per supplier or participating herd number.
• Funds advanced under this programme will be set-off against actual milk payments due by Tirlán to the Supplier commencing two years after a supplier has received their pre-payment and will be recouped in full by Tirlán via milk contra over a two-year period (for herds joining the Scheme in 2025, repayment will be in 2027 and 2028; for herds joining the Scheme in 2026: the milk contra will be in 2028 & 2029).
• Milk contras (deductions) will be taken in equal instalments across seven months (from April milk payments (in May) to October milk payments (in November).
• There will be no interest charged on the pre-payment advanced as part of the TB Support Programme.
• The programme will offer a simple and streamlined administration process and there will be no administration fee.

First Published 11 March 2024