Over 3,600 farmers missed the deadline under the Beef Exceptional Aid Measure (BEAM) scheme and now face a penalty, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine has confirmed.

Under the scheme, participants had to reduce their bovine manure nitrogen (N) levels by 5% (compared to an earlier reference period) within a one-year reduction period that ended on June 30.

However, due to the disruption caused by Covid-19 farmers were given the option to defer this reduction period by six months, giving them until December 31, 2021 to meet the 5% reduction target.

The department said today that a total of 18,707 of the some 34,000 participants had met the target within the original reduction period, i.e. before June 30.

Of that figure, 5,293 had chosen to defer but, as they have already met the original target and require no further action, they will now be notified by the department that they are being removed from the BEAM deferment period.

Just over 16,000 applicants overall had taken the deferment option, which farmers were able avail of by applying for it between March 19 and June 21.

Of that number, the aforementioned 5,293 who have met the requirements already are removed.

This means that there are around 10,700 farmers still active in the scheme who will be required to meet the 5% reduction target by December 31.

The 3,634 farmers who did not opt to defer and failed to fulfil the 5% reduction will be notified in writing of the fact by the department shortly.

According to the terms and conditions of the scheme that were originally laid out in 2019, the penalties occur in different scales:

  • A reduction in bovine manure N of less than 4% will incur a 100% penalty (all of the payment clawed back);
  • A reduction of 4% or more – but less than 4.4% – will incur an 80% penalty;
  • A reduction of 4.4% or more – but less than 4.6% – will incur a 60% penalty;
  • A reduction of 4.6% or more – but less than 4.8% – will incur a 40% penalty;
  • A reduction of 4.8% or more – but less than 5% – will incur a 20% penalty.