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The latest payment update from the Department of Agriculture dated 13 December 2019 shows 121,043 farmers have received payment under the 2019 Basic Payment Scheme (BPS).
With the number of eligible farmers listed at 122,459, this leaves 1,416 farmers awaiting payment.
The total sum of money paid under the BPS stands at €1.153bn, with this figure including €17.4m paid under the 2019 young farmers’ scheme and €2.1m paid under the 2019 national reserve.
Payment runs continue to take place on a regular basis for payments under BPS and the Areas of Natural Constraint (ANC). Payments under the latter are recorded at €238.6m paid to 94,919 applicants.
The majority of cases being cleared at present relate to stocking rate requirements being met.
Payments under the Green Low-carbon Agri-Environmental Scheme (GLAS) now stand at €159.1m paid to 44,385 applicants.
This represents payments to 91.3% of applicants, while €11.68m has been paid under GLAS training.
Beef payments
Payments under the Beef Exceptional Aid Measure (BEAM)reached farmers’ bank accounts last week, with €75.18m paid to 32,444 farmers. With an initial fund of €100m targeted for in the region of 60,000 farmers, it represents an underpayment of €25m with the stocking rate reduction requirement raised as the main reason for farmers not applying.
Payments under the Beef Data and Genomics Programme for 2019 total €34.46, paid to 18,969 applicants. The total number of applicants receiving payments in 2018 was recorded at 23,712, which leaves in the region of 4,743 farmers left to receive 2019 payments. The Department is advising farmers to complete any outstanding surveys or outstanding information so further payments can be made.
The final 100 or so applications have been paid under the Beef Environmental Efficiency Payment (BEEP), bringing the total payment to €15.4m paid to 16,529 farmers.
Protein Aid Scheme
Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed recently announced €3m worth of payments starting under the Protein Aid Scheme. There were 740 applicants, with the rate for the 2019 scheme set at €365/ha. This represents increased participation on 2018 levels, where €2.84m was paid to 681 approved applicants. The minister said: “Since 2015, the financial aid provided under this scheme has been an important support for farmers growing beans, peas, and lupins. These crops not only provide important environmental benefits, but they also help to provide an indigenous source of protein for animal feed.”
A new financial support scheme for calf rearing was announced last Thursday by Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed.
There is €1.5m funding available under the scheme, which offers grant aid at a rate of 40% on investments supporting calf feeding systems such as computerised calf feeders, milk carts with a mixer and calf teat feeders.
The initial details of the scheme state that if a farmer purchases one of these pieces of equipment, they will also be eligible to receive support for the purchase of other items such as calf milk heaters, calf forage/hay racks, calf meal troughs, calf feed barriers and calf pen dividers.
The scheme is set to open for applications on 7 January 2020. Terms and conditions are not available yet but will be published on the Department’s website. The maximum investment proposed is €7,500 excluding VAT but the announcement also points out that if the scheme is oversubscribed this figure may be reduced. The minimum investment required is €1,000 excluding VAT.
TAMS tranche 16 closing date
The closing date for the current tranche of the targeted Agricultural Modernisation Scheme (TAMS II) closes on 10 January 2020.
Tranche 17 opens on the following day and closes on 24 April 2020. Remember, the minimum investment in an application is €2,000 excluding VAT with the exception of the low-emission slurry spreading option which has a minimum investment of €5,000 excluding VAT.
The general rate of grant aid is 40%, with young trained farmers eligible for a higher grant aid of 60% provided they meet certain criteria.
Recent tranches have been oversubscribed meaning applications are scored and given priority, with those not approved given the opportunity to carry over into the next tranche. Applications for approval of grant aid and for payment of completed investments must be made online through the Department of Agriculture’s Agfood facility. This can be carried out by the farmer or via an adviser / consultant.
Where an application requires planning permission this must be in place before making an application for grant aid.
Investments for mobile equipment have a six-month window from the date of approval to purchase and submit a claim for payment while fixed investments generally have a 12-month window from time of approval to complete.
See www.agriculture.gov.ie for all documents relating to the scheme.
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