Farmers have been reminded that all Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) and transfer of entitlements applications must be made online this year, as BPS online clinics for farmers continue around the country.
Issuing the reminder, the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Michael Creed, attended one of the online clinics in the Riverside Park Hotel in Macroom, Co. Cork, on Friday (April 27).
He commented: “The closing date for BPS applications is now less than three weeks away and I would encourage all farmers to make their applications as soon as possible.
“I am pleased to note that already over 70,600 farmers have made their applications online.”
This week’s BPS clinic schedule will include the following locations:
According to the Department of Agriculture, the process of applying online is “quick and simple”, and farmers can make their applications at www.agfood.ie.
The minister added: “In order to help farmers through the online application process, staff from my department have organised clinics around the country in recent weeks.
“These clinics have proved very popular with farmers, as they have been able to sit down on a one-to-one basis with a staff member from my department and complete their application on the spot.”
The minister said: “Details in relation to remaining online clinics are available on www.agriculture.gov.ie and they are also being publicised via media outlets and direct communication with farmers by my department.
Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed at the recent BPS clinic in Macroom
“Whilst noting that the vast majority of farmers already engage with the application process online, I am committed to ensuring that the move to online application is as easy as possible for those farmers making the move from a paper-based application.
All farmers will benefit from the efficiencies that the online application process brings.
“As the deadline of May 15 approaches, we will continue to monitor the rate of submission of online applications and we will be maintaining the supports that have been put in place for farmers to help them meet the deadline.”