The documents published on the Department of Agriculture’s website this Wednesday outline the requirements of the scheme, but do not offer an application form for download as was the case when the scheme first opened in 2015. Instead, farmers are invited to contact the Department by phone on 076-106 4423 or email beefschemes@agriculture.gov.ie to request a form, which they will receive with some of their information already filled in.

Farmers can also apply online through Agfood.ie, where the BDGP section is expected to go live on Thursday. The deadline for applications is 8 May. The duration of the scheme is six years, with participants committing to completing actions until 2022, or pay back all payments received.

New entrants

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While the terms and conditions of the scheme are similar to those set out in the first phase of the scheme, one change has been made to allow entrance to farmers who started suckler farming in the past two years. The reference year used to calculcate the €85/cow payment and forming the baseline to measure improvements made to the herd remains 2014 for those farmers who were active that year. However, the reference year is 2017 for new entrants who commenced suckler farming since 3 June 2015.

New entrants must have submitted their 2017 BPS application declaring all their land parcels before applying for BDGP II, as this will be used to calculate their payment.

The Department said it would also apply a 2017 reference year for force majeure cases, i.e. “in certain very limited instances decided by the Department” when 2014 is recognised as inapplicable.

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Full coverage: BDGP