There was pressure on this week to register new farm partnerships before the Saturday 31 March deadline.

Only partnerships registered before that date could be guaranteed a partnership number, enabling it to apply for the Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) as such. Good Friday has added to the pressure, with no postal service on Friday.

Agricultural solicitor Aisling Meehan said one of the big drivers for people registering partnerships this year is TAMS funding.

Separately, several farmers in partnerships have told the Irish Farmers Journal that their Knowledge Transfer payments have been delayed. The Department said that “14,242 farmer payments in the amount of circa €10.4m have issued across the six KT sectors. Payments of circa €6.7m issued to KT facilitators in respect of approximately 8,287 of these participants for whom transfer of payment has been confirmed. Payments are ongoing.”

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