The 2024 call contained 28 areas of challenge and opportunity which were developed across the DAFM, under the broad headings of food safety, animal health and welfare, agriculture, environmental sustainability, bioeconomy and forestry. Projects can be up to 12 or 24 months in duration, with funding of up to €100,000 or €250,000, respectively.
Projects related to bovine tuberculosis, food waste, a national soil strategy and monitoring programme, and attitudes and behaviours towards climate-change mitigation are among those awarded funding under the 2024 call.
Commenting, Minister Heydon said: “There is a wide breath of policy areas covered by the successful projects. This includes three projects related to TB which will examine biosecurity measures and communication, modelling for badger population dynamics, and the association between herd bovine TB breakdown and herd nutritional, metabolic and immune status.”
“I am also pleased to be able to award funding to two projects which directly address recommendations of the Food Vision Tillage Group: investigating the feasibility of oilseed crops processing in Ireland, and a feasibility assessment of organic feed milling,” the Minister added.