Certified Irish Angus Producer Group has confirmed that a restructuring of the Angus factory breed bonus paid to farmers is set to be implemented in September this year.

The producer group, which works with both ABP Food Group and Kepak, has today (Wednesday, March 4) announced details of the new bonus payment structure for its farmer members.

The current breed bonus payment system involves farmers being paid a premium, generally ranging from 10-30c/kg depending on the time of year, for in-spec Angus heifers and steers.

Under the new system, members will be eligible for a bonus of up to 20c/kg, however, this will be split into three eligibility areas.

The three areas of the new bonus are:

Standard Angus breed bonus;
Sustainability bonus;
Genetic bonus.

Firstly, a €0.10/kg standard bonus will be available to Certified Irish Angus members.

A further €0.05/kg genetics bonus and an additional €0.05/kg sustainability bonus will also be available for Angus animals that meet the specified criteria.

The new Angus breed bonus payment

Certified Irish Angus Producer Group farmer members will be eligible for a €0.10/kg standard bonus for Angus animals that pass Certified Irish Angus inspection.

The €0.05/kg sustainability bonus will be available for animals supplied by members enrolled in AgNav who have undertaken a minimum of three sustainability actions.

From 2029 onwards, farmers will have to demonstrate completion of three selected actions to qualify for this bonus.

The €0.05/kg genetics bonus will be paid on Angus animals with a recorded sire or animals that are genotyped.

From 2028, animals must achieve a Commercial Beef Value (CBV) above the bottom 1/3 of Angus cattle to be eligible for this payment.

Currently, this value will be above €100. From 2029, this threshold will increase and will be verified by genotyping only.

These changes will not come into effect until Monday, September 7, 2026.

This is "to allow time for farmer members to adjust their farming systems to meet the sustainability and genetic bonus requirements," according to Certified Irish Angus.

Additional requirements of the bonus will include:

A maximum of four farm residencies;
Animals resident on quality-assured farms for at least 70 days, including a minimum of 60 days on the presenting farm prior to slaughter.
Carcass weight between 240-380kg;
Conformation from O= to U+;
Fat score from 2+ to 4+.

Commitment to sustainability

Certified Irish Angus explained that "the payments will reward high farmer performance and signal a long-term commitment from processor partners to meet the growing consumer demand for quality beef that is sustainably produced".

Speaking about the initiative, Charles Smith, general manager at Certified Irish Angus said: “The historical partnership we have had with ABP and Kepak has given our members the confidence to invest, innovate and improve their herds, knowing there is a fair and reliable return for producing quality cattle.

"Working together, we have delivered value right along the supply chain.

"As we look to the future, the Certified Irish Angus bonuses will continue to encourage best practice at every stage of production to deliver additional value throughout the supply chain from conception to consumer.”

Angus supply growth

The producer group said that over the past quarter-century, the bonus paid by ABP and Kepak to members of the Certified Irish Angus producer group "has played a central role in the considerable growth of the Angus breed in Ireland".

Over the past 10 years, annual Angus-sired calf births have increased by 82% from 346,772 in 2016 to 601,754 in the first 10 months of 2025.

"This reflects strong farmer confidence in the breed and in the consistency of the bonus payments delivered by ABP and Kepak," according to the producer group.

Certified Irish Angus enhanced bonus

The new Certified Irish Angus Producer Group bonus structure has been developed around "three strategic objectives", according to the producer group.

Firstly, protecting and enhancing the Angus Bonus programme. The programme will continue to deliver a robust and consistent bonus payment system, "safeguarding the long-term value of Angus cattle produced by Certified Irish Angus Producer Group members", according to the group.

Secondly, the new structure aims to drive genetic improvement.

Research and trial data consistently show that higher genetic merit cattle deliver greater profitability through improved performance, heavier carcass weights, and reduced age at finish.

The new bonus structure aims to promote:

Improved breeding standards within both pedigree Angus breeding herds and dairy farms using Angus bulls or artificial insemination;
Greater clarity for finishers purchasing calves and stores;
Enhanced overall quality and consistency of Angus cattle entering the supply chain;
The adoption of CBV at farm level and support the National Genotyping Programme.

Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBF) slaughter data for 2025 showed that Angus steers in the top 20% for CBV had 21kg greater carcass weight than the bottom 20%.

This equated to €170 higher finish price at 27 days younger finish.

The third strategic objective is supporting sustainability on Irish farms.

The programme incentivises participation in the AgNav sustainability tool, which aims to support farmers in understanding and reducing farm emissions while maintaining productivity and profitability.

AgNav is a free, digital platform for farmers developed by Bord Bia, the ICBF and Teagasc and is supported by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM).

It can provide farm-specific sustainability action plans to farmers to reduce emissions and improve water quality.

Certified Irish Angus Producer group has said that it will assist members to provide support on all aspects of the new payment structure.

It added that the genetic merit thresholds will be reviewed annually in line with national genetic evaluations.