The recently launched Multi-Species Sward Scheme and Red Clover Silage Measure will close for applications on Monday 4 April and Thursday 14 April respectively.

The application process for both of these measures is via the Department of Agriculture’s agfood.ie facility and the portal to access both of these has been added to the homepage.

To gain access, scroll down to the heading 'Multi-Species Sward Measure' and then select scheme to enter in the top left of the next screen shown.

This will bring up two options – the Multi-Species Sward Measure and the Red Clover Sward Measure.

The next screen will present the LPIS numbers contained in your Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) application form.

This allows the LPIS numbers to be selected on which you are planning to sow the crop. There is also a facility to add LPIS numbers or details of plots which will be added to your 2022 BPS application.

Designation

The designation of LPIS numbers will be used in the case of an inspection. The proposed area on which crops will be sown must also be recorded and this in turn will generate the number of bags which will be required to be purchased.

It is important to note that the purchase of half bags is not permitted.

The seeding rate is 30kg per hectare or 12kg per acre. This means that a surplus of seed may have to be purchased in some cases to satisfy the area entered on the application.

The Department’s frequently asked questions contain additional details, including the fact that a farmer may opt at a later stage to purchase a lower volume of seed than he/she has been approved for.

Tillage scheme applications

The application process for the Tillage Incentive Scheme is via the 2022 BPS. There are two aspects to the application process.

For farmers with tillage grounds declared on their 2021 BPS application, there must be an increase in the area of eligible crops, including barley, wheat, oats, rye, oilseed rape, maize and beet, on the 2022 application.

For example, if 20 hectares of eligible crops was declared in 2021 and 25ha in 2022, then there is an additional 5ha potentially eligible.

The second element is that the increased area cannot stem from ground that was in tillage crops in 2021 and added to the 2022 BPS application.

The increased area must have been considered as grassland in 2021.

It is slightly confusing, but there is a list of crops considered grassland, including alfalfa, clover, fallow, grass (year one to five), grassmeal, hemp, lucerne, miscanthus sinensis, permanent pasture, potatoes, red clover and willow.

Read more

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FAQ: new Multi-Species Sward Measure