Minister of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue, has outlined the DAFM’s procedure for BEAM participants with TB-restricted herds.
During a Dáil debate on agriculture schemes, deputy Seán Canney asked Minister McConalogue about measures for farmers in these circumstances who cannot sell cattle.
BEAM: Payments and reduction periods
In response, the minister said the BEAM’s objective is to provide temporary exceptional adjustment aid to Irish beef farmers. The scheme is subject to the conditions set out in EU Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/1132.
He said just over 33,000 farmers joined the scheme. In 2019, over €77 million was paid to participants, €50 million of which came from the EU.
Farmers gave a commitment to reduce bovine livestock manure nitrogen production on their holding by 5% for:
- July 1st, 2020, to June 30th, 2021, or January 1st, 2021, to December 31st, 2021, for those that opted for the deferred reduction period;
- Compared with the reference period of July 1st, 2018, to June 30th, 2019, as recorded on the DAFM’s AIM system.
Restricted herds in BEAM
“Farmers who have been or who are currently restricted due to an outbreak of TB on their holding during either reduction period will have their 5% bovine nitrates reduction commitment reduced in line with the length of their restriction(s).”
“Therefore, if a farmer had to reduce their bovine nitrates by 365kg during the 12-month reduction period and they were restricted for six months, their adjusted 5% bovine nitrates reduction commitment would be reduced to 182.5kg in light of the TB restriction.”
He said the adjusted 5% bovine reduction commitment will run until the period of the TB restriction ends or the reduction period ends, “whichever comes sooner”.
“Where a BEAM participant is of the view that this approach does not adequately address the TB circumstances on their holding, they still have the right to seek a review of their case. Such cases are dealt with on a case-by-case basis.”
BEAM letters
He said the DAFM continues to provide a monthly update to all BEAM participants who opted to defer.
McConalogue confirmed that the DAFM will issue October BEAM letters to farmers in the middle of this month.
Read more BEAM-related articles.
