The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) is seeking feedback from farmers on their experience of the Agfood system, ahead of a redesign of the online portal.
The Agfood platform provides a range of services to farmers, which includes allowing them to submit applications for schemes run by the department.
The department said: “The Agfood website is being redesigned and your input will greatly impact how we improve the online services provided by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.”
The department has created a survey so farmers can give their feedback on Agfood, which is available through the department’s X page.
The survey – which should take less than 10 minutes to complete and is anonymous – asks questions based on a number of topics, including the farmers’ own Agfood experience, accessing Agfood, and the farmer’s use of technology.
“We will ask you about your experience of Agfood, some basic questions about you, and your use of technology,” the department said.
Some of the questions will provide an additional text box asking the farmer to provide further feedback, depending on what answer is clicked.
However, the department has said that participants in the survey should not provide personal details such as passwords or herd numbers.
Agfood
The services provided through Agfood include the application facility for the Basic Income Support for Sustainability (BISS) and other area-based schemes.
Farmers can also edit maps relating to their land parcels or plots, and see information on entitlements.
Farmers also use the platform to provide necessary information to the Animal Identification and Movement System (AIMS), through the calf birth registration facility and the cattle herd register facility.
The system also provides facilities for applications under forestry schemes, as well as financial self-services facilities, allowing farmers to view their financial data.
Other services include online access to the annual nitrogen and phosphorous statements issued by the department; access to the nitrates derogation application facility; and an application facility for licences in respect of veterinary medicine.