Latest Department figures show a further 1,080 farmers have received advanced 2018 GLAS payments since our update last week.

So far 45,355 farmers have received 2018 advance payments. However, this still leaves 3,745 farmers awaiting advance payment.

In a recent statement on the matter, Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed said a large proportion of the applicants had not fulfilled the requirements of the scheme, which has delayed payments.

If you have not received your GLAS payment and have not received any correspondence from the Department, you should make contact to find out if there is an issue.

GLAS balancing payments are not expected to be paid until May this year.

A total of 1,259 organic farmers have received their 2018 Organic Farming Scheme payment out of approximately 1,800 farmers so far.

Traditional buildings

On page 44, we outline some tips for farmers who are drafting up their applications for the GLAS Traditional Farm Building Grant Scheme.

Because competition is so intense for a place on the scheme, you really need to make every effort possible to make your application stand out.

Don’t leave any blank spaces in the form and try to show your enthusiasm for the project and evidence that the proposed project can fulfil the objectives of the scheme.

It is great to see such interest in the scheme, which has been extremely well run by the Heritage Council, but it would be even nicer to see more projects supported annually.

Perhaps it is an area more resources can be moved to in the future to reflect the strong demand. The deadline for applications is 19 February 2019.

Agri Careers

I will be in the Farming Space supported by Ornua at the Agri Careers Expo on Thursday 14 February from 10.30am to 3pm.

We will have sessions on upskilling for the farm, doing the Green Cert and advice for new entrants to farming.

The expo takes place in the Main Hall of the RDS in Dublin.

It is organised by the Irish Farmers Journal in association with Devenish.

For more information, see www.agricareers.ie.