Don’t miss out on 2024 beef payment – Muir

Agriculture Minister Andrew Muir has reminded any remaining beef farmers yet to opt in for the beef carbon reduction (BCR) scheme to do so by the deadline of 31 December 2024.

The BCR scheme opened at the start of 2024, with payment rates increasing over the first three months to a final rate of £75 per head from April onwards for prime NI origin cattle, slaughtered at under 30 months.

Eligible

The person who owned the animal for at least 60 days in the last 100 days of life, receives the payment, so it is not just those farmers who take cattle to direct slaughter that should opt in. There are no penalties if a farmer does not kill any eligible cattle during 2024.

Opting in is a simple box-ticking process, which must be done online via the DAERA website.