As applications for this year’s Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) and Beef Environmental Efficiency Pilot – Suckler (BEEP-S) continue to file, the Agricultural Consultants Association (ACA) has underlined the fact that all applications must be submitted online – including entitlement transfers.
Commenting ahead of the deadline for scheme submissions – next Friday, May 15 – ACA president Tom Canning said:
“ACA members are working very hard to ensure all client applications – 55,000 – are submitted before May 15 deadline.
“Members are conducting daily reviews of their client base and actively contacting farmers that have yet to make contact.”
Continuing, Canning said: “It’s very important for all farmers to understand that all applications must be submitted online including all entitlement transfers.
“Where herd numbers have changed and there are farm entitlements, there must be a corresponding transfer of entitlements, which must also be submitted before May 15.”
Cooperation
“It’s important to acknowledge that the Department of Agriculture officials and personnel in all sections have been extremely helpful to our members during the past few weeks – emails and queries are being answered very promptly and that is easing the stress greatly on our members.”
Lauding ACA members for their “close cooperation in ensuring transfer of entitlements and lands between clients are processed efficiently”, the president added:
Our members will be working and available on the phones and by email every day from now until the deadline including this weekend.
“Any farmers that require help can contact any one of our 160 members offices across the country or locate a member on www.aca.ie,” Canning concluded.