Friday 9 January is the deadline for applications to the Farm Safety Scheme.

The second part for applications opened on 1 December 2014 and farmers are being urged by the Department of Agriculture to send in their applications before it closes next week.

The scheme pays 40% grant aid on a range of farmyard safety items. In order to ensure eligibility for the scheme farmers must have a minimum of five hectares declared under the Single Farm Payment Scheme, Area Aid or Integrated Administration and Control System in the year of application or preceding year if after 1 January 2015. In the case of Intensive Enterprises they must have a minimum of 20 production units.

Farmers must also have a Department identifier and must agree to provide relevant bank, building society or credit union details to ensure that all payments made by the Department are paid by means of electronic fund transfer.

Application forms can be downloaded from the Department of Agriculture website. The forms, along with the supporting documents listed on the Department’s website, must be sent to Farm Safety Scheme, On-Farm Investment Schemes Division, Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Johnstown Castle Estate, County Wexford.

Farmer writes: Hoping for a safer 2015 on Irish farms