Farmers are set to receive “up-to-date” statements on their progress in meeting the 5% manure nitrogen reduction target under the Beef Exceptional Aid Measure (BEAM) scheme, according to the Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA).
IFA national livestock chairperson Brendan Golden said today (Wednesday, December 2) that Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Charlie McConalogue has confirmed the development.
“These statements must provide farmers with their current status in relation to the 5% reduction target, and be supplemented with monthly updates [online],” Golden argued.
He added that such updates would “allow farmers to measure in real time if they are meeting their targets”.
BEAM Reduction Commitments
In other news related to BEAM, there will be no prospect of altering commitments for the 5% reduction of bovine livestock manure nitrogen, Minister McConalogue has indicated.
The minister outlined this week that the 5% reduction target “remains a central requirement of the programme”.
The minister was responding to a parliamentary question from independent TD for Galway-Roscommon Michael Fitzmaurice, who asked if the 5% reduction would be waived for participants in view of the Covid-19 pandemic and the resulting difficulties regarding the movement of livestock.
In his answer to deputy Fitzmaurice, Minister McConalogue said: “While there has been intermittent disruption to mart sales over the reduction period to date, the level of trade overall is comparable to the same period last year and the facilities to reduce or restructure a participating herd in line with scheme requirements remain in place.”