The Kerryman (South Kerry Edition)
Stocking requirements to qualify for Areas of Natural Constraint payments
TO qualify for payment under the 2019 Areas of Natural Constraint Scheme (ANC) previously the Disadvantaged Areas Scheme, an applicant must have submitted the Basic Payment Online and confirm application for the ANC Scheme by ticking the application box.
Farmers must have declared a minimum of three hectares of ANC land situated in an area within the state designated as an area of natural constraint. Once your land is designated, you must meet the minimum stocking requirements to qualify for ANC payments.
Cattle, Sheep, Goats, Horses, Donkeys and or Deers are eligible for consideration. The retention period for the 2019 scheme is seven consecutive months within the calendar year i.e. 1st January 2019 to 31st December 2019, where the stocking density on the holding has to be equal to or greater than 0.15 livestock units per forage hectare (one sheep per hectare).
In addition to meeting the seven month retention period, applicants must also maintain an annual average of 0.15 livestock units calculated over the year.
Farmers must own, possess, hold and maintain the livestock required to maintain the minimum stocking level.
Where it is established that an applicant does not own the animals used to calculate the minimum stocking density, they will be deemed ineligible for payment under the scheme, except in the case of contract rearing.
In cases where a holding has been restricted due to the presence of an animal disease e.g. TB, farmers are required to meet the minimum required stocking density within 10 days of the date of derestriction.
Farmers with arable lands situated in designated areas will be eligible for payment in 2019. Arable lands will not be taken into account in the calculation of stocking requirement.
Farmers with sheep and goats are obliged to count the sheep/goats present in their flock and record this number in the flock register, then complete sheep/goat census and return to the department of agriculture. Where flock owners do not have sheep/goats at the time of the census, but will have sheep during the following year they must still complete and return the census. In cases where it is necessary to submit a flock register to prove stocking density requirements only the original flock register will be accepted.
Farmers with equines are required to have a valid passport in the applicant’s name. Where an equine is purchased it must have a valid passport at the time of purchase and must be updated to the applicants name afterwards.
Equines will only be accepted for the ANC scheme from date of registration or transfer of ownership. If seeking to fulfil stocking density using either horses or donkeys you must submit original passports to the Department of Agriculture, ANC section, Portlaoise. Co Laois. Passports can only be submitted after the minimum seven month retention period i.e. after 31st July 2019.
It is important to note that from 2020 only 50% of stocking density requirement can be fulfilled using donkeys. Farmers will be required to use other livestock to fulfil the other 50% requirement.
Horses are not automatically eligible for the stocking density calculation but horses from equine breeding enterprises can be used in the calculation.
Farmers should ensure they qualify for Areas of Natural Constraint payments by maintaining the minimum stocking level, and if exceptional circumstances exist where they may not qualify for ANC payments to contact their advisor immediately.