Farm safety grant

The deadline to avail of grant aid under the 2024 National Farm Safety Measure is approaching fast on 1 November 2024. Under the measure, farmers can avail of a financial contribution covering 60% of the cost of power take-off shaft covers, subject to a maximum cost of €100, excluding VAT.

For example, if a cover costs €100, excluding VAT, then €60 can be recouped from grant aid. It should be highlighted that it is only the cover that is grant-aided and not the actual PTO shaft. Grant aid is payable on a maximum of four PTO shaft covers per applicant.

To avail of the funding, farmers must first submit an expression of interest before submitting a claim for payment. Applicants do not need to wait for approval before purchasing – once an expression of interest is submitted, then applicants are permitted to purchase covers.

Farmers who applied for grant aid under the National Farm Safety Measure 2023 are also eligible for this measure.

Soil sampling programme

The Soil Sampling and Analysis Programme has reopened for applications for phase three of the scheme.

This phase of the programme will allow farmers to submit up to 40,000 samples and it will cover the cost of up to 16 individual soil samples for nutrient analysis, soil acidity and organic matter content. It will also cover one test for surveillance of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) per farm.

The full list of eligibility criteria can be found in the terms and conditions on the Department’s website. Applications can be made through www.agfood.ie. The closing date for farmer applications under the programme is 6 November 2024.

September N and P statements

September 2024 nitrogen and phosphorus (N and P) statements are now available on the Department’s agfood.ie system. The Department of Agriculture issued correspondence to farm advisory system (FAS) advisers this week, informing them of the update.

The facility is an important resource for farmers, ensuring they remain within nitrates limits. The portal is also the avenue by which farmers must record the import and export of organic fertilisers.

It should be noted that the record of N and P produced by grazing animals only takes account of bovines. Farmers, therefore, must calculate the volume of N and P produced by livestock such as sheep, equines and poultry themselves.

Fodder transport payments

Payments totalling €2.1m are issuing to 669 farmers through their co-ops under the Fodder Transport Support Measure. The movement of 48,132 bales and 19,114t of fodder was supported by this measure, with 24 co-operatives participating in the scheme.

Introduced by Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue in April, the support measure provided a financial contribution of up to €40 per bale where the distance involved more than 75km. Farmers could apply for support of €20 per bale of hay or straw for feeding, €30 per 4x4 bale of haylage or silage and €40 per 8x4x3 bale of silage.

Any farmers or co-operatives that have queries regarding this measure should contact officials at the helpdesk on 057-867-4422, or alternatively email foddertransportmeasure@agriculture.gov.ie.

ACRES LESS and NPIs

The Department of Agriculture Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES) section released a circular last week, notifying advisers and applicants that the portal is now open for completing the annual declaration for the Low Emission Slurry Spreading (LESS) action. The declaration may be completed via the agfood.ie system by an ACRES adviser on behalf of their client, or by the ACRES participant themselves by 31 December 2024.

The Department states that “failure to complete and submit the LESS return will result in a delay in making the 2024 ACRES advance payment and may result in the rejection of the LESS action from their ACRES application, or further financial penalties where LESS was the only priority action on their ACRES application”.

The Department is also advising that the deadline of 4.30pm on Thursday 31 October 2024 for submitting completed applications for non-productive investments (NPIs) will not be extended. Decision letters on NPIs submitted in 2023 are expected before the end of 2024.