Pig farmers have been reminded to submit their applications to the 2022 Pig Exceptional Payment Scheme (PEPS) before the portal closes at midnight on Monday, July 11.
The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Charlie McConalogue has urged farmers to check that they have completed and properly submitted their application for the EU funded scheme, worth €13 million. He said:
“I urge all pig farmers to examine the terms and conditions of the scheme, and to submit their applications in good time in advance of next Monday’s deadline.”
Applications must be send by email to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) by next Monday and details of the correct addresses can be found on the department’s website.
Payment rates
There are fourteen rates of payment under the PEP2 scheme which range from €3,000 to €100,000. The payment is made on the number of pigs that were produced during 2021 from the nominated herd. These are outlined below:
Eligibility
Pig farmers must meet a number of criteria to qualify for a payment. Applicants must nominate only one herd, which produced a minimum of 200 pigs in 2021, these may be pigs that were sent to slaughter, exported or sold commercially from a breeding herd.
Applicants must also have completed a Target Advisory Service for Animal Health (TASAH), Pig HealthCheck Biosecurity Review and TASAH tail biting risk factor assessment in 2021.
Additionally, the farmer must be a member of the Bord Bia Pigmeat Quality Assurance Scheme, demonstrate active participation in the DAFM pig welfare inspection programme by scheduling one before July 11, and must have returned a completed national pig census 2021 to the Pig ID section of the DAFM before April 14 this year.
Minister McConalogue also reminded pig farmers who need to contact the DAFM in relation to scheduling an inspection that they should contact their their local Regional Veterinary Office (RVO).