The deadline for the return of completed Sheep Census 2016 forms has been extended to Friday, February 3, the Department of Agriculture Food and the Marine has confirmed.

The extension coincides with the extension provided to the Sheep Welfare Scheme.

Census returns for 2016 may be returned either by post to Seefin Data Management, PO Box 17, An Post, Cahirdown, Listowel D.S.U, Co Kerry or online via agfood.ie, no later than Friday February 3, 2017.

Farmers not already registered with agfood.ie can do so by logging on to the AgFood website and clicking the option to register.

It should be noted that the extended closing date of Friday February 3, also applies to online census returns so users registering for access to agfood.ie for the first time should allow sufficient time for their log-on details, which will allow access to all relevant online services, to be sent to them by post after they register.

These login details will be required to allow online completion of the census, the Department said.

Yesterday, January 30, the Department announced that the closing date for the receipt of applications under the Sheep Welfare Scheme has now been pushed out to Friday, February 3.

The Minister for Agriculture, Michael Creed, urged any eligible sheep farmers yet to apply for the scheme to do so by the end of the week.

“The extension of the application deadline for the Sheep Welfare Scheme will allow as many applicants as possible avail of the €10 per ewe payment for farmers undertaking actions which make a positive contribution to flock welfare.”

IFA National Sheep Chairman John Lynskey had called for the closing date for applications to the Sheep Welfare Scheme to be pushed out until February 14 ahead of the announcement.

He said this was a unique opportunity to maximise the number of applicants into a positive sheep scheme that is worth up to €1,300 to the average flock owner.

The IFA National Sheep Chairman believes that Minister Creed and the Department need to be targeting more than 30,000 sheep farmers and 2.5m ewes with the scheme.