Some 1,104 farmers were excluded from the Beef Finisher Payment and Beef Exceptional Aid Measure (BEAM) as they were not members of quality assurance schemes.

Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue has said that 668 farmers applied to the Beef Finisher Scheme.

However, as they were not a member of the Bord Bia beef and lamb quality assurance scheme, they were not eligible to be accepted.

“Under the scheme, applicants were required to be a member of the Bord Bia beef and lamb quality assurance scheme at the time of application or to become a member prior to 30 September 2020,” the Minister said in response to a parliamentary question from Denis Naughten.

“The number of animals linked to these ineligible applications represent a potential payment of €252,700,” he said.

The Minister added that 27,000 farmers had been accepted to the scheme and that €46.5m has been paid to these farmers under the scheme.

BEAM scheme

In the BEAM scheme, the Department received 436 applications from farmers which were deemed ineligible, as they were not a member of an environmental or quality scheme.

These 436 farmers applied for payments worth €436,940 under the scheme.

“Applicants were required to be a member of at least one environmental or quality scheme at the time of application, or to become a member of a quality scheme prior to 1 December 2019,” the Minister said.

Some €77.7m has been paid out to 33,445 farmers who successfully applied for the scheme.

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