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Minister Creed announces the opening of Year 3 of the Sheep Welfare Scheme
The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Michael Creed, announced that the third year of the Sheep Welfare Scheme will commence on the 2 February 2019. Existing participants in the scheme will be automatically enrolled in year 3 and will not need to take any action should they wish to remain in the scheme.
Minister Creed stated:
The Sheep Welfare Scheme provides support to farmers for undertaking actions which make a positive contribution to flock welfare. Information packs containing the 2019 terms and conditions of the scheme along with Action Record books for 2019 will shortly be issuing from my Department to existing participants in the scheme.
Applications for participation in year 3 of the Sheep Welfare Scheme are now being accepted from new entrants to sheep farming. For the purposes of the scheme, a new entrant to sheep farming is defined as an applicant who has applied for a new herd number from 1 January 2018 and prior to the 31 December 2018, or an applicant with an existing herd number who has not held or traded in sheep for a two year period up to 31 October preceding the scheme year.
Minister Creed urged all existing scheme applicants and eligible new entrants to the sheep sector to return their forms by 1 February.
Notes for editors:
Application forms can be obtained by contacting the Sheep Welfare Scheme section of the Department by email at sheepscheme@agriculture.gov.ie or via the Direct Payments Helpdesk at 076 1064420.
The closing date for receipt of applications is Friday, the 1 February 2019.