Any farmer who feels they received a BEAM letter in error stating that they were not a member of a Bord Bia quality assurance (QA) scheme should contact the beef schemes section of the Department of Agriculture.

The Irish Farmers Journal was contacted by a farmer this week who received a BEAM letter that noted they had failed to remain in a QA scheme between 2019 and 2021 inclusive and therefore they would have to pay back 100% of their BEAM payment.

However, the farmer said they had continued to be a member of the QA scheme.

“The Department used data received from Bord Bia to check compliance with this requirement in August 2021,” a spokesperson said.

“If a BEAM participant feels they received a letter in error and that they were indeed a member of the Bord Bia QA scheme for the duration of BEAM, they should contact the Department’s beef schemes section in Portlaoise.”

It is a condition of the BEAM scheme that farmers remain in the QA scheme.