Agricultural consultants are urging farmers to apply for the new Beef Environmental Efficiency Programme – Suckler (BEEP-S) scheme.
Tom Canning, the president of the Agricultural Consultants Association (ACA), said that the association’s members are “actively encouraging” farmer clients to participate in the scheme, as it “provides substantial supports to suckler farmers at a time when it is desperately needed”.
“The ACA National Council and I are concerned that, due to the restrictions with Covid-19, some farmers, particularly those that are not actively engaged with a farm advisor, may miss the May deadline,” Canning highlighted.
We are also concerned that farmers in BEEP [Beef Environmental Efficiency Pilot] in 2019 may not realise that they must apply again to this new 2020 scheme before May 15.
Canning outlined the possible payments that could be received by a farmer under the scheme.
He explained: “A suckler farmer with 10 cows completing all measures can receive a payment under BEEP-S of €900; €1,300 for 15 cows; and €2,500 for a 30-suckler cow herd, which are considerable payments for farmers, who are being rewarded for completing measures on their farms that can improve returns from their suckler enterprise this year.”
Canning also encouraged farmers to avail of the faecal sampling option of the scheme, which will provide analysis of fluke levels in herds.
This is an extremely busy time of year for ACA members and their staff but they are available to discuss all aspects of this BEEP-S scheme.
“ACA members are actively helping our farmer clients to apply to this scheme and we can act as their agent to get them signed up to this scheme and help them understand the measures and the required commitments,” Canning said.
“Therefore, I would strongly encourage all suckler farmers to contact our members throughout Ireland, as they are being very flexible in the provision of advisory services during these challenging times and they will ensure that farmers get the opportunity to discuss and avail of such a scheme,” the ACA president said.
Further information on the scheme is available on the ACA website or on the website of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.