The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Michael Creed, T.D., today issued an urgent reminder to farmers to submit their online applications for the Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) as soon as possible. 

The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Michael Creed T.D. today announced that he has introduced new legislation to regulate livestock marts, updating legislation that has been in place for many years.

SMART FARMING ARTICLE BY THE IFA

Smart Farming starts its 2018 work this month, identifying ways to improve farm returns and enhance the rural environment.

This year more than 1,200 farmers across 50 discussion groups, IFA branches and purchasing groups will get involved in Smart Farming.

The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Michael Creed T.D., today gave an update in relation to online applications for the 2018 Basic Payment Scheme (BPS).

The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine are reminding farmers that 2018 Nitrates Derogation applications can now be submitted on line. The closing date for applications is 20 April 2018.

Michael Creed, Minister for Agriculture, Food & the Marine, has issued a strong warning to farmers and their advisors, of the following in relation to agricultural and eligible forestry land which is burnt illegally during the closed season – i.e. 1st March to 31st August:

The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Michael Creed T.D., made the comments while attending a meeting of the Council of EU Agriculture Ministers meeting in Brussels.

Speaking in Brussels, Minister Creed said “While we are supportive of the Commissions efforts to better target direct payments, we must be mindful that the agriculture sector differs significantly across Member States in for example average farm size and agro ecological conditions. In that context and in the spirit of subsidiarity envisaged in the European’s Commission’s CAP Communication, Member States should be given the flexibility to decide on how to improve the targeting and fairness of direct payments within their own country”.

The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Michael Creed T.D., has today announced the opening of the online system for submission of applications to both the National Reserve and the Young Farmers Scheme in 2018. 

This year’s sheep census must be returned to the department by the 31st of January.(14^th of February if doing online) If you are posting your census make sure and register post it and hold on to the receipt as it is the only acceptable proof of postage in the case of a dispute.

There is provision for new entrants into the scheme.

For the purposes of the scheme, a new entrant to this scheme is defined as an

applicant who has applied for a new herd number from 1st January 2017

Andrew Doyle T.D., Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine with responsibility for Forestry, has announced the release of the first bulk payment of annual tax-free forestry premiums for 2018.  The payments are currently being issued to forest owners who applied through the Department’s online services website www.agfood.ie.

IFA Rural Development Chairman Joe Brady has welcomed changes to the TAMS scheme, which will allow farmers who have applied for TAMS, and who had put down a deposit before formal approval, to claim the deposit as a legitimate expense in claiming grant aid.

The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Michael Creed, T.D. today announced that payments have commenced under the Beef Data and Genomics Programme.

The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Michael Creed T.D., today announced the opening of the new €25m Hen Harrier Programme under Ireland’s Rural Development Programme. The Minister made the announcement on a visit to the farm of Jack Lynch, who farms in the Hen Harrier SPA near Ballyvourney, outside Macroom, Co. Cork.

The Minister for Agriculture Food and the Marine, Michael Creed, TD, announced today that the 2017 advance payments for the two main agri-environment schemes are commencing this week.