This is a subscriber-only article
Friday 31 January is the last day that farmers can complete their paper-based applications for the 2019 sheep and goat census. Farmers can still place online submissions until Friday 14 February.
ICSA sheep chair Sean McNamara has reminded farmers that “it’s a busy time of the year, but to avoid any payment issues later in the year, it’s vital to get this in on time”.
McNamara has also called on all political parties to commit to a second phase of the Sheep Welfare Scheme and he wants to see the allocated budget doubled.
Uncertainty
“The impact of market uncertainty around Brexit is well recognised in the cattle trade, but sheep farmers have been left to fend for themselves and many have barely managed to get through the last couple of years. The sheep scheme has worked well, but it just hasn’t provided enough financial support to the sector and this must be addressed.”
SHARING OPTIONS: