The Department says to date 14,100 applications have been created on the GLAS III online application system. It is yet unclear how many applications will be approved.

The Department has said that at least 50,000 applications would be approved in total for the three tranches. With 38,000 approved in the first two tranches, the question now is what will the quota be for the third. Farming organisations have called for Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed to accept up to 15,000 applications in this tranche. The Department is encouraging the submission of applications as soon as they are finalised in advance of the closing date of 15 December.

It is important that advisers and applicants submit applications as soon as they are completed and they are satisfied they have selected all of the appropriate actions.

Given the high level of applications, the Department is urging applicants to select the higher priority actions and assets which would promote their application to a higher tier, thereby improving their chances of selection.

It said the number of applications to be accepted into the third tranche will not be decided until the scheme has closed and will be based on the available funding for the scheme.

Nutrient management

The final rush is on to take soil samples for farmers participating in GLAS I and II. This will allow for the completion of nutrient management plans (NMP). According to the Department, failure to have a valid GLAS NMP in place by 31 December 2016 for tranche one participants and by 31 March 2017 for tranche two will lead to no further GLAS payments being made.

There are still a big number of NMPs to be completed but the Department says it has no intention to extend the deadlines.

FYM

Farmers should remember to not store farmyard manure in a field during the prohibited spreading period. According to the Department, you must collect all seepage from farmyard manure when stored within the farmyard or shed