Minister Heydon announces the opening of year three of the Sheep Improvement Scheme to new entrants
- Published on: 25 March 2025
- Last updated on: 30 March 2025
The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon, has announced the opening of year three of the Sheep Improvement Scheme (SIS) to new entrants. The five-year, €100 million SIS provides financial support to farmers for taking extra steps to improve the welfare of their flock.
Commenting on the opening of the scheme, Minister Heydon said:
“I am delighted to announce that applications for entry to year three of the Sheep Improvement Scheme are now open to qualifying new entrants. This is the third year of the SIS, which builds on the progress made by the Sheep Welfare Scheme in the previous CAP. This scheme, which facilitates an annual opening for new entrants, demonstrates the continuing commitment of this government to the sheep sector for the coming years.”
The Sheep Improvement Scheme is funded under Ireland’s CAP Strategic Plan (CSP) 2023-2027. The Scheme has a budget allocation of €20 million per year over the course of the CSP. Farmers get €12 per breeding ewe per annum for completing flock welfare measures.
Applications must be made on agfood.ie. The application opening date is 25 March 2025. Application closing date is 11.59pm on 29 April 2025.
Notes
About Ireland’s CAP Strategic Plan 2023-2027
The EU’s common agricultural policy (CAP) is a partnership between society and agriculture that ensures a stable supply of food, safeguards farmers’ income, protects the environment and keeps rural areas vibrant. EU countries implement the CAP at national level with a CAP Strategic Plan for the period 2023-2027.
The Sheep Improvement Scheme has been introduced to enhance animal health and welfare in the sheep sector. The Scheme provides financial support to farmers of €12 per ewe for taking extra steps to improve the welfare of their flock.
The Sheep Improvement Scheme is co-funded by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and the EU. For more information, visit www.gov.ie/cap.