Annual sheep and goat census forms have issued to over 48,000 sheep and goat farmers registered with the Department of Agriculture.
Friday 31 December is the 2021 census date and farmers should be aware that completion and return of the census is a legal obligation.
The Department has said that farmers are also required to record the census data on their flock registers and failure to return a completed form on time could affect eligibility for certain Department of Agriculture schemes.
Online and postal returns
The Department is encouraging all farmers to return their census data online via www.agfood.ie.
While postal returns will be accepted, the cut-off date for submission is 31 January 2022.
Completed forms returned by post must arrive at the address printed on the envelope provided with the census form no later than 31 January 2022.
It is not permitted to submit forms by post through any office of the Department.
An extended deadline of 14 February 2022 applies to online returns only.
Online submission of the annual sheep and goat census information is straightforward, the Department has said, and provides real-time confirmation when census information has been submitted successfully.
The Department said there are a number of benefits of using the online census facility that include:
the facility to view census history.
Guide
A step-by-step guide to completing the census online is provided on the back of the 2021 census form.
With regard to postal returns, the onus remains on the farmer to make sure that completed census forms are received on time.
Farmers should be aware that, in the case of dispute regarding postal returns, the only acceptable proof of postage is a registered post receipt. Postal certificates or express post receipts are not acceptable as proof of postage, the Department warned.
