The Department of Agriculture has issued letters to farmers in the first round of the Beef Data and Genomics Programme (BDGP), informing them to “purchase” replacement heifers if they are not on target to meet scheme requirements.

Under the terms and conditions of the scheme, 20% of the replacement females in a herd must be four- or five-star on the maternal €uro-Star value index by 31 October, or farmers risk losing 40% of their scheme payment.

600 herds in the BDGP scheme did not meet this requirement

“If you do not have sufficient females of this rating you will be required to purchase these animals and have them on your holding on 31 October 2018,” the letter from the Department reads.

“Failure to have these animals in your herd on that date will result in a significant penalty to your payment.”

In response to a parliamentary question from Sinn Féin’s Martin Kenny earlier this month, Minister Michael Creed stated that approximately 600 herds in the BDGP scheme did not meet this requirement.

There are currently approximately 22,600 herds on target

“This is expected to reduce when the next evaluations issue shortly,” Minister Creed said, adding that farmers had been advised if they were not on course to meet the required target.

“There are currently approximately 22,600 herds on target to meet the minimum 20% four- or five-star female requirements by 31 October 2018,” the Minister added.

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