Up To 42,000 Farmers Eligible For New €100/hd Beef Covid Payment

The Key Details

Details of the Beef Finishers Payment (BFP), an Exchequer funded scheme of €50 million to provide income support for up to 42,000 farmers with beef finishing enterprises, who have been impacted by the economic effects of the Covid-19 pandemic has been announced.

The support is being targetted at farmers who finished cattle during the period from 1 February to 12 June 2020 will help to mitigate the economic impact of the Covid-19 pandemic for those farmers and provide a valuable additional income support this year.

An estimated 42,000 farmers will be eligible to apply for the scheme, which will be based on the number of cattle sent for slaughter in the period from 1 February to 12 June 2020, subject to a limit of 100 animals per herd.

Based on estimates of eligible animals, a rate in the region of €100 per animal will be payable.

In the event of an over subscription, the rate of payment per animal will be subject to a linear cut in order to comply with the available budget of €50 million.

The opening date for applications will be 19 August 2020 and the closing date will be 9 September 2020.

Applications will be made online through the agfood.ie portal.

Eligibility

‘Eligible animals’ slaughtered:

• Slaughtered in the reference period of 1 February to 12 June 2020.
• Aged 8 months or more when slaughtered
• Resident on the qualifying herd for at least 30 days prior to slaughter (if not the previous owner is eligible for payment if they are an applicant and have had the animal for over 30 days on their holding)
• Animals identified on the Department systems as presented for slaughter by or on behalf of a factory will not be eligible.
• Subject to a cap on payments in respect of 100 eligible animals per herd.

Eligible applicants:

• A farmer who has presented animals for slaughter in the reference period
• The holder of an active herd number with Herd Owner Status.
• Farming a holding in respect of which a valid Basic Payment Scheme application has been submitted in 2020 to the Department.
• Agent or Dealer herd numbers are not eligible for payment
• Conditionality: Applicant must be a member of the Bord Bia Beef and Lamb Quality Assurance Scheme at the time of application, or undertake to become a member of a quality scheme prior to 30 September 2020.

(Source – Irish Independent – Indo farming – Online Editors – 05/08/2020)