COVID-19 disruption and confusion over figures has led to calls for the 5% nitrates reduction requirement in the Beef Exceptional Aid Measure (BEAM) to be scrapped.
The payment reflected the extreme hardship farmers suffered due to Brexit factors beyond their control, Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers Association (ICSA) beef chair Edmund Graham said. Penalising farmers up to 100% of the payment would undo all the good and undermine the initial logic, he warned.
“Several marts have cancelled sales that were scheduled to take place this week due to the worsening COVID situation and we are likely facing many more weeks, if not months, of disruption to trading.
SHARING OPTIONS:
Under BEAM, the level of organic nitrogen produced in the period 1 July 2020 to 30 June 2021 has to reduce 5% on the levels produced in the period 1 July 2018 to 30 June 2019. / Donal O Leary
The Department of Agriculture has confirmed that it will be writing to participants in the Beef Exceptional Aid Measure (BEAM) in the coming days to outline their situation with regard to where they are at in terms of stocking rate and nitrogen production.
Participants in the scheme must reduce the amount of bovine nitrogen produced on their holding by 5% during the period 1 July 2020 to 30 June 2021, based on the reference period.
BEAM: ICSA brands scheme a bureaucratic nightmare 14 December 2020 Free farmersjournal.ie - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from farmersjournal.ie Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.