The pressure is mounting on farm advisers and farmers to get over 45,000 Basic Income Support for Sustainability (BISS) applications submitted before the deadline of 11.59pm on 15 May 2024.

The latest figures from the Department of Agriculture show 105,158 applications submitted as of 6 May 2024.

Going on a similar number of applications of 128,712 submitted in 2023, this leaves over 45,000 applications to be submitted in the final 10-day application window.

The scale of the challenge is demonstrated in the fact that there were over 23,500 applications submitted in the final six days before the deadline in 2023.

Progress

Teagasc management states they are keeping progress on BISS applications under review, commenting that despite applications progressing reasonably well and, despite trying to frontload work as much as possible, advisers will be busy right up to the application deadline.

Agricultural Consultants Association (ACA) president Michael Ryan painted a similar picture stating: “There’s more pressure in certain pockets of the country. Tillage farmers’ applications in particular are more complex”.

Roscommon-based agricultural adviser Noel Feeney said that there’s a “big mad dash” to get applications in.

“It’d be great if we got an extension of a few days or a week,” Feeney said.

Weather

Advisers report weather adding significantly to the pressures being felt explaining that farmers are busy trying to catch up with field work, while complicated cases, including the transfer of entitlements, are an ongoing challenge.

Those specialising in the transfer of entitlements are also reporting challenges with many firms pausing accepting trading requests last week until entitlements on hand have been dealt with.

Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue said his Department is monitoring the rate of applications being submitted highlighting that his Department is operating extended working hours in the final days leading up to the deadline and these are listed here.