Under the original terms of the Knowledge Transfer (KT) programme, farmers were required to provide net margin financial data as part of their profit monitor.

The IFA announced this week that the Department of Agriculture has confirmed that this controversial requirement will no longer be necessary and data on gross output, variable costs and gross margin will suffice.

Speaking to the Irish Farmers Journal, a KT group facilitator said he welcomed the fact that farmers no longer had to provide this information.

“This is very sensitive information,” the KT group facilitator said.

Farmers would usually only share this information with their accountants, and at a push their farm adviser, so it’s good they no longer have to provide it.’’