Annual sheep and goat census forms have issued to over 47,000 sheep and goat keepers registered with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM).

The department selected Friday December 31 as the 2020 census date.

Keepers are required to record the census data on their flock registers and the department has said that keepers should be aware that completion and return of the census is a legal obligation.

It is not permitted to submit forms by post through any office of the department. The onus remains with the flock/herd keeper to make sure that completed census forms are received on time.

The department said that in the case of dispute regarding postal returns, the only acceptable proof of postage is a registered post receipt. A postal certificate or express post receipt is not acceptable as proof of postage.

Return census forms via online portal

DAFM is encouraging keepers to return census data online.

An extended deadline of February 15, 2021 applies to online returns.

Registering for online facility

Keepers that are not registered on www.agfood.ie can do so by logging on to the website and clicking the option to ‘register’.

A step-by-step guide to completing the census online is provided on the back of the 2020 census form.

The closing date for receipt of completed 2020 census forms by post is February 1, 2021.

However, respondents submitting a census return online may avail of an extended closing date of 11:59pm on Monday, February 15, 2021.

Failure to return a completed form on time could impact on eligibility for some DAFM schemes.