The details around the Beef Finishers Payment (BFP) scheme have been lauded as “straightforward and inclusive” by the Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers’ Association (ICMSA).
Commenting following the announcement of the scheme last night, Wednesday, August 5, ICMSA president Pat McCormack said:
The conditions around the scheme are straightforward and inclusive in that the scheme is open to all farmers who had sent cattle to the factories in the reference period.
McCormack said the scheme will be more effective as a result and honours the agreement made at the beef talks last September that all farmers would be included in future schemes.
The president did note, however, that there is no doubt that there will still be some disappointed farmers, particularly those who suffered heavy losses in 2019, and this matter still needs to be resolved.
In terms of payment, the ICMSA is asking the department to process applications in a straightforward way and issue payment as quickly as possible.
We’re coming into the period where farm bills are traditionally settled up and it would be a huge plus to have this money available for these cash-flow requirements.
“On that point, the ICMSA thinks that it would be a very good idea for the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine to proactively contact those farmers eligible for the scheme by text and advise them to apply for this scheme,” McCormack concluded.