20 MIDLAND FARMER <strong>September</strong> <strong>2023</strong>
<strong>September</strong> <strong>2023</strong> Number of students in school milk scheme decreasing MIDLAND FARMER 21 Over 90,000 farmers registered on National Fertiliser Database The number of students participating in the EU School Milk Scheme has decreased for the second year in a row by over 7,000 students compared to the previous year. The number of pupils that participated in the scheme for the 2021/2022 school year was 35,782. A total of 42,998 participated in the 2020/2021 academic year, while in contrast 55,042 students participated for the 2019/2020 year. The number of schools that participated for the 2021/2022 school year, including preschools, primary and secondary schools, was 1,750. This was a rise from the previous year, when 533 schools participated. This reduction in figures may be due to the Covid-19 pandemic as schools were closed between January and April 2021. During this period a home-delivery programme ran, which provided weekly deliveries of food parcels containing portions of fruit, vegetables, milk and cheese directly to homes or to a designated collection point. NDC SUPPLYING MILK The EU School Milk Scheme has operated in Ireland since 1982, with the objective of “promoting and encouraging” the consumption of milk among school children. Milk is supplied to the schools on a charged basis by their local participating dairy co-operative. To pay the cost an annual budget of €250 million is allocated and a parental contribution applies. The EU contribution is used to reduce this parental cost. The scheme is managed through the National Dairy Council (NDC). The NDC said it is “concerned” that many Irish children are not getting enough calcium in their diets. NDC set up ‘Moo Crew’ to address the situation and increase awareness of the “importance” of milk in diets. It wanted to show that milk, yogurt and cheese are part of a “balanced diet”. NDC runs web-based lesson plans on the importance of dairy through this programme The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM), together with the NDC has began working on a devised model of implementation to halt the decline and increase participation. The model will focus on “enhanced communication, new accompanying measures and the reduction of the parental contribution”. Over 90,000 farmers are registered on the National Fertiliser Database which has came into effect last Friday, <strong>September</strong> 1, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) has said. Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue welcomed the “fantastic level” of engagement with registration and urged remaining farmers to sign up. Any farmer or other professional fertiliser end user who wishes to purchase fertiliser, including lime, must be registered as a professional fertiliser end user with the DAFM. <strong>Farmer</strong>s, or their agents can register on agfood.ie. Those farmers involved in the import of fertiliser, farm-to-farm transfers, and/or retail sale of fertiliser must also register as fertiliser economic operators. Thanking every farmer that has registered for the National Fertiliser Database, Minister McConalogue commented: “There has been phenomenal engagement with the new system by farmers and their agents which further demonstrates farmers’ willingness to embrace positive changes. “Registration is a very simple process. I encourage those who have yet to register to do so as soon as possible to avoid any potential disruption to their farming operations.” FERTILISER DATABASE From last Friday all fertiliser imports into the state must be notified to the database within 72 hours of import, and all data on fertiliser transactions must be recorded by fertiliser economic operators. Department officials will be available at the National Ploughing Championships later this month to assist with any queries or difficulties regarding registration or use of the National Fertiliser Database. www.johndixonplanthire.ie JOHN DIXON PLANT HIRE 087 813 1099 / 087 416 1181 Sarsfieldstown, Killucan, Co Westmeath ▲ ▲ ▲ ▲ ▲ ▲ ▲ ▲ GPS Dozers and GPS Diggers Land reclamation (Bull Dozer work, land drainage, bulk excavation, site clearance) Pitch development Low emission slurry spreading, umbilical/ trail and shoe Hedgecutting flailing/ sawing and track machines supplied with mulcher head Precision chop cut pit silage with various chop lengths to suit customer requirements Fusion Baling Dung spreading