Suckler farmers can extend BDGP contracts for one final year

Minister Charlie McConalogue has announced that suckler farmers can now extend their BDGP contract for 2022.

The DAFM has issued letters to participants in the 2021 BDGP transitional scheme to notify them how they can continue their participation in the roll-over scheme for one more year.

The application process commenced on November 18^th and stays open until 5 pm on December 20^th, 2021.

Extend BDGP contract

In a statement this afternoon (Friday, November 19^th, 2021), Minister McConalogue said:

“My department has endeavoured to make the process to extend participation as straightforward as possible. There are two options available for submission of applications.”

• A farmer can extend their participation by logging on to agfood.ie.
• They can submit the applications themselves or by an agent authorised to act on their behalf up to 5 pm on December 20^th, 2021;
• By text message – if an existing 2021 BDGP participant/ agent operating on their behalf does not apply on agfood.ie before Wednesday, December 8^th, 2021, the participant, if they are signed up to receive text messages from the DAFM, will receive a text message on Friday, December 10^th, 2021, asking them if they wish to extend their BDGP participation by one year.
• The options to reply are either ‘DAFM Y’ (for Yes, I want to extend my BDGP contract into 2022) or ‘DAFM N’ (for No: I do not want to extend my BDGP contract into 2022).

The participant/agent operating on their behalf will have 72 hours from when the DAFM sends the SMS to reply.

The DAFM will issue a confirmation text if it has successfully received a response.

By replying ‘DAFM Y’, participants are accepting the updated T&Cs of the scheme. You can access a full copy on the DAFM’s website.

The DAFM will issue an additional text on Tuesday, December 14^th, 2021, to those who have yet to reply and another on Friday, December 17^th, 2021.

New suckler programme

Concluding, the minister said: “2022 is the final year of the BDGP before the commencement of the Suckler Carbon Efficiency Scheme in 2023, as part of the next CAP.”

“This scheme will see participants receive €150 on the first ten cows and €120 on remaining cows.”

Other articles:

• Letters with offers to extend GLAS contracts issue to farmers