Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue, has today (Monday, April 29) announced the launch of an online training course for participants in the Suckler Carbon Efficiency Programme (SCEP).
As part of the terms and conditions of scheme, farmers are required to complete a mandatory online training course on SCEP actions and livestock handling by November 15, 2024.
The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) has warned that failure to complete the course by the deadline will render farmers ineligible to remain in the programme and monies received will have to be repaid.
Completion of all the course, which consists of a brief explainer video and seven online course modules, will be verified by the department.
SCEP
The training course, which has been developed by a professional e-learning company, can be accessed online at www.sceptraining.ie.
The department has said that each module should take, on average, around 30 minutes to complete.
Farmers can choose to do all the modules at once or complete them in stages. It is possible to partially complete a module and pick up where you left off the next time you log in.
The department will provide SCEP farmers with a pin number to access the online course in an information letter which will be issued by post over the coming days.
The pin number will also be accessible through the Agfood accounts of SCEP participants.
DAFM has reminded farmers that they need a valid email address to gain access to the training material.
Online course
Minister McConalogue said that the letter being issued by the department to SCEP farmers provides all the information necessary to log onto the website.
“The course can be completed in stages and there are support facilities available for anyone encountering difficulties getting started on their training.
“The big advantage of online training is its flexibility enabling busy farmers to proceed at their own pace and in their own time on whatever electronic device is convenient for them and they can revisit the material whenever they want,” he said.
The training material has been devised by the department with the assistance of Teagasc, the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBF) and other beef sector experts.
The course is focused on the SCEP actions that farmers must undertake as part of the programme – breeding strategies, genotyping, weighing and calving surveys – and also includes a module on farm safety and livestock handling.
Minister McConalogue urged all farmers to engage with the training as soon as possible.
“The training is laid out in a very user-friendly format: it is easy to navigate, and key information is conveyed effectively in relatively short modules.
“There are some interesting demonstration videos on the programme’s core actions which, I think, will be of particular interest and relevance to farmers.
“A module on farm safety is included because we can never lose sight of the challenges that farming poses to health and wellbeing. If we aware of the risks, we can take action to mitigate them,” he said.
SCEP participants who have questions on any aspect of programme implementation or training, they can contact the department’s helpdesk at 057 867 4422 or email [email protected].