The closing date for applications under the Beef Finishers Payment is this Wednesday (September 9), meaning farmers have just three days to get their applications in.
Thus far, at the latest count, the department has received some 22,548 applications. These applicants have claimed payment on a total of 406,374 animals.
This indicates that the average number of animals being claimed on by each applicant is approximately 18.
There is scope for farmers to claim payment for up to 100 eligible animals per herd. Based on estimates of eligible animals, a rate in the region of €100 per animal will be payable.
In the event of an over-subscription, the rate of payment per animal will be subject to a linear cut in order to remain within the available overall budget of €50 million.
‘Eligible animals’ must:
- Have been slaughtered in the reference period from Saturday, February 1, to Friday, June 12, 2020;
- Be aged eight months or more when slaughtered;
- Be resident on the qualifying herd for at least 30 days prior to slaughter (if not, the previous owner is eligible for payment if he or she is an applicant and has had the animal for over 30 days on his or her holding);
- Not be identified on department systems as presented for slaughter by, or on behalf of, a factory;
- Be subject to a cap on payments, whereby the cap is 100 eligible animals per herd.
An ‘eligible applicant’ must:
- Be a farmer who has presented animals for slaughter in the reference period;
- Hold an active herd number with Herd Owner Status;
- Farm a holding in respect of which a valid Basic Payment Scheme application has been submitted in 2020 to the department;
- Not use an agent or dealer herd number (agent or dealer herd numbers are not eligible for payment);
- 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 a quality scheme prior to September 30, 2020.