Apply now for new €40 BEEP pilot scheme

WITH the new €40 per cow BEEP (Beef Environmental and Efficiency Pilot) scheme for sucklers open, IFA National Livestock Chairman Angus Woods strongly encouraged suckler farmers to apply for the new scheme and draw down the €40 per cow payment.

The application period runs from February 4th to February 22nd.

Mr Woods said the application process for the scheme is very simple and just requires farmers to sign the form and submit it to the Department of Agriculture.

He said suckler farmers will have to weigh their cows and calves once during the year, between March 8th and November 1st 2019, and submit the data to ICBF. Payment will be made in respect of suckler calves born on the holding between July 1st 2018 and June 30th 2019.

The Department of Agriculture will make 400 scales available to farmers through co-op marts around the country. In addition, farmers will be able to use their own scales.

Suckler farmers do not have to be participating in the BDGP scheme to qualify for BEEP.

Angus Woods said the IFA is campaigning hard to increase the level of targeted direct payments for sucklers. He said as a very low-income vulnerable sector, Agriculture Minister Michael Creed and the Department will have to deliver a substantial increase in direct supports to sucklers, both from national resources and CAP funding.

Cork farmer is new chair of Agri Aware

CORK farmer Alan Jagoe has been elected as the new Chairman of Agri Aware, replacing Richard Moeran as chairof the independent farming and agrifood educational body.

“My goal as Chairman of Agri Aware is to continue the work of communicating the vital links between agriculture, food and our economy,” said Mr Jagoe. “Increasing awareness of the relationship between our standard of excellence in farming, and the payoff in terms of excellence in the food we eat and export, while maintaining the unique green image we have here in Ireland.

“I also recognise the importance of educating the general public from a young age in the role farming plays in all our daily lives,” added the Nohoval based dairy and cereal farmer.