Beef-finisher payment: a guide from Teagasc

ALL FARMERS OVER 18 ELIGIBLE TO APPLY FOR NEWLY LAUNCHED SCHEME

We HAVE seen a number of schemes including the BEEP and BEAM targeted at the beef sector over the last two years.

The most recent scheme to be opened for applications is the Beef Finisher Payment (BFP).

This scheme opened on August 19 and was targeted at beef farmers who slaughtered animals between February 1 and June 12 this year.

The scheme was launched by the then Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Dara Calleary.

The scheme is a one-off, exchequer funded grant-aid scheme under the COVID-19 State Aid Temporary Framework, with funding totalling €50m.

The objective of BFP is to provide support for beef-finishing farms in Ireland which have been severely impacted by the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Who is eligible to apply? Any farmer is eligible, provided you meet the following criteria: you must be aged 18 years or over on date of submission of the application for participation, and be the holder of an active herd number with Herd Owner Status. Herd Keeper is not acceptable.

You must be farming a holding in respect of which a valid Basic Payment Scheme application is submitted in 2020 to the Department prior to the

September 30 deadline.

You also need to be a member of the Bord Bia Beef and Lamb Quality Assurance Scheme at the time of application, or undertake to become a member of the quality scheme prior to September 30, and maintain that membership on a continuous basis until September 30, 2021.

The scheme is not open to agent or dealer herd numbers.

Eligible animals are all animals over eight months of age that were presented for slaughter to an approved slaughtering establishment in the period February 1 to June 12 inclusive this year.

The payment will be based on €100 per eligible animal.

In the event of the scheme being oversubscribed, the payment due to each applicant may be subject to a linear reduction.

The maximum number of animals for which payment will be made on will be 100 animals per herd number.

An important point to note for some farmers who sold forward store cattle or cull cows in the mart or at home is that if these animals were presented for slaughter by an agent, dealer or another herd-owner within 30 days of purchase, payment may only issue to the immediate previous herd-owner where the herd-owner is an applicant and held the animal for 30 days or more.

In the case of registered farm partnerships, a maximum threshold of 200 animals will apply where there are two herd numbers, and a maximum threshold of 300 animals will apply to a Registered Farm Partnership of three or more herds.

The application procedure is relatively simple, with all applications to be made using the online agfood facility.

This can be done on your own agfood account or through your registered agent agfood account.

The number of eligible animals during the reference period will be pre-populated on the online system. Applicants not already registered for the Department’s online services will need to register first at www.agfood.ie.

The closing date for applications is September 9, so ensure you check your agfood system or contact your agent to avail of this payment if you had eligible animals.