The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) is reminding farmers that there is one week left until the deadline for online returns of sheep and goat census forms.
The extended deadline of Tuesday, February 14, 2023 applies to online returns only; the closing date for postal returns fell last week (January 31).
In December, the DAFM issued the census forms to 48,000 farmers across the country.
Similar to previous years, the department chose December 31, as the 2022 census date.
The department is encouraging census data to be returned online through www.agfood.ie, which provides confirmation when the information has been submitted successfully.
A step-by-step guide to completing the document online is provided on the back of the 2022 census form.
Keepers who are not already registered online can do so by logging on to agfood.ie and clicking the option to ‘register’.
DAFM
The department has reminded all farmers that completing and returning the forms is a legal obligation.
Failing to complete the document or late submissions could result in farmers being ineligible for certain DAFM schemes.
The census is an important way for farmers to declare that required stocking rates are being maintained.
The information provided by farmers through their census returns is used as part of farm and flock inspections.
This facilitates the drawing down of payments under schemes such as the Sheep Improvement Scheme (SIS); Basic Payment Scheme (BPD); Areas of Natural Constraints Scheme (ANC); the Agri Environment Options Scheme (AEOS); and the Green, Low-Carbon, Agri-Environment Scheme (GLAS).
The census provides valuable statistical information to the department and other organisations involved in the development of the industry.
The information must also be recorded on a farmer’s flock register