The issuing of payments, totalling €12.7m under the Grassland Sheep Scheme, will start today (Thursday). A total of 26,076 flockowners have been approved for the first payment run and will receive payment to their bank account within the next three to five days.

The number of flockowners eligible for payment is lower than the first payment run in 2012 when 27,825 were paid starting on 13 December 2012.

The payment rate is based on the average ewe numbers submitted on the 2011 and 2012 sheep census. Some €15m of funding has been allocated for the 2014 Grassland Sheep Payment with payments rates for next year’s scheme based on the average of the 2012 and impending 2013 census.

Application forms for the 2013 Sheep and Goat Census are being circulated to farmers this week. The date selected is Sunday, 15 December, as opposed to a window of a few days as in previous years.

IFA sheep chairman James Murphy said following meetings with IFA, the Department has simplified the census substantially from last year and this should make the form much easier to complete.

The census form now only requires farmers to record the number of ewes, rams and other sheep.

  • See pages 36 and 37