The number of farmers who have applied to the Beef Exceptional Aid Measure (BEAM) scheme so far is approaching the 3,000 mark.
The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine has confirmed to AgriLand that, as of last night, Tuesday, August 20, 2,779 applications to the scheme have been fully submitted.
This follows on from the opening of the applications process the previous day, Monday, August 19.
The scheme, which is funded by a €100 million deal between the Government and the EU, will continue to be open for applications up to and including Sunday, September 8.
Under the scheme, aid will be paid on adult cattle slaughtered between September 24, 2018, and May 12, 2019, at a rate of €100 per animal, up to a maximum of 100 finished animals per herd.
Also, aid will be paid on suckler cows that calved in 2018, at a rate of €40 per animal, up to a maximum of 40 sucklers per herd.
Dairy herds with less than 40 dairy cows can apply for the scheme; however, dairy herds with more than 40 cows are not eligible.
Commenting on Monday, when the scheme opened to farmers, Minister Michael Creed said: “This scheme has been designed to make the application process as user-friendly and accessible as possible for farmers.
“The BEAM, coupled with the Beef Environmental Efficiency Pilot (BEEP), introduced earlier this year, provides an injection of up to €120 million in aid for the beef sector in 2019,” the minister added.
Minister Creed concluded: “I am keenly aware that farmers are dealing with very challenging market circumstances at present. This scheme will provide some additional income support at a very critical time.”