The Department of Agriculture has extended the closing date for submission of carbon navigators under the Beef Data and Genomics Programme (BDGP) by one month.

The original deadline for submissions had been next Monday, October 31.

Farmers will now have until November 30 to submit their completed carbon navigators under the programme.

Speaking today the Minister for Agriculture, Michael Creed, said that there was “significant progress made recently by farmers and the advisory services in meeting the end October deadline with 20,000 currently completed”.

“Due to significant pressures on both farmers and advisors I have extended the deadline to the 30 November.”

The Minister urged the remaining farmers that have not completed the navigator to immediately contact their advisor to arrange a meeting to complete same.

Minster Creed said that this month extension will provide all participating farmers with the opportunity to ensure compliance with this element of the scheme and thereby facilitate payment later this year.

The Carbon Navigator is an online farm management package produced by Bord Bia and Teagasc that quantifies the environmental gains that can be made on an individual’s farm.

The first completion of the Carbon Navigator must be undertaken in conjunction with an approved advisor, according to the Department.

The Department will cover the cost of the approved advisor for the completion of the Carbon Navigator, while the farmer’s cost is incorporated into the annual Genomics payment.

This year each participant in the Genomics programme is required by the Department to provide details that highlight how a farm’s greenhouse gas emissions can be reduced.

The areas covered are as follows:

  • Longer grazing season,
  • Younger age at first calving,
  • Higher calving rate,
  • Improved growth rates,
  • Nitrogen efficiency, and
  • Slurry management.

Following on from the initial completion in 2016, applicants must submit data annually to allow for an update of the carbon navigator.

This data will be submitted via survey forms issued by the ICBF to each applicant, according to the Department.

The Genomics Programme was introduced in 2015 as part of Ireland’s Rural Development Programme and it is a world first in terms of bringing genomic technology to beef farmers.