Over nine in 10 farmers who received satellite farm inspection notifications responded by last week’s deadline set by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM).
The Area Monitoring System (AMS) became mandatory across all EU member states on January 1, this year.
It forms part of the new Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) to monitor compliance with farm scheme criteria.
DAFM
The department confirmed to Agriland that it contacted just over 4,700 herdowners about an AMS notification relating to their scheme applications in late June.
The notifications related to the potential identification of an artificial surface such as farm roads, a new house site or a new shed which had not been excluded from a land parcel.
Of the notifications sent to farmers and advisors approximately 91% of notifications were replied to by the deadline of July 10.
“The small proportion of farmers who did not respond by the deadline may be subject to a field visit from the department to delineate the artificial surface(s) and where applicable, overclaim penalties may be applied.
“The first round of AMS notifications related to artificial surfaces and closed on July 10, 2023. It is no longer possible to reply to these notifications,” a DAFM spokesperson said.
In total, 4,737 herdowners received AMS notifications in the initial round.
Figures supplied by the department show that Cork was the county with the highest number of herdowners contacted at 624. This was followed by Galway on 529 and Kerry on 388.
The following table provides a county-by-county breakdown of the AMS notifications by the location of the herdowner:
County AMS notifications Carlow 29 Cavan 105 Clare 313 Cork 624 Donegal 276 Dublin 31 Galway 529 Kerry 388 Kildare 103 Kilkenny 63 Laois 53 Leitrim 104 Limerick 301 Longford 60 Louth 69 Mayo 317 Meath 248 Monaghan 81 Offaly 51 Roscommon 195 Sligo 159 Tipperary 240 Waterford 60 Westmeath 97 Wexford 162 Wicklow 79 Total 4,737
This year, the department will be using AMS satellite system for the Basic Income Support for Sustainability (BISS); Areas of Natural Constraint (ANC); Protein Aid Scheme (PAS) and Straw Incorporation Measure (SIM).
AMS findings may impact payments for other area-based schemes such as the Eco-Scheme and the Complementary Income Support for Young Farmers (CIS-YF).
According to the department, further notifications will issue to applicants in mid-August and mid-September with a deadline for reply of October 2, 2023.
“These notifications will be for potential differences in crop categories to those claimed by the applicant and may include further artificial surfaces,” the DAFM spokesperson added.