merrion street

The Minister for Agriculture, Food & the Marine, Michael Creed T.D. has today confirmed that 129,000 farmers applied online for their 2018 Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) in advance of the May 15 deadline.  This figure is in line with application numbers for previous years.  In addition, over 21,140 Transfer of Entitlement applications have been received online by the May 15 deadline. 

The Minister commented

I am very happy to confirm that farmers have applied for the BPS online again this year.  My Department has put a huge effort into helping farmers make their applications online and this has paid off.  These figures build on the success of last year’s move to 100% online applications.

Where farmers have made their BPS online application, but now wish to make an amendment, they may make such changes online at www.agfood.ie until midnight on Thursday 31 May without penalty.  Every year, the Department also receives a number of late applications for the BPS and there is a 25-calendar day period after the 15 May closing date for the acceptance of late applications and any necessary supporting documentation. However, deductions to payments at a rate of 1% per day in respect BPS payments will apply to late applications which are received during this period.

The Minister stated,

I am also pleased to announce that, if a change made to a BPS online application leads to a farmer having insufficient land to use all of their entitlements, they will have the opportunity to submit a Transfer of Entitlements application up until midnight on 31 May”. This is available to farmers who can show that they have made a change to their BPS application before 31 May and that change has directly led to the need to transfer entitlements.

The Minister concluded

My Department will continue to work to ensure that important financial supports such as the BPS are paid to farmers in the most efficient way possible.