FARMING: New remote system in place for controls for Protein Aid Scheme Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue TD announced the 2021 changes Reporter: '); '); Controls for this year’s Protein Aid Scheme will for the first time be undertaken remotely through the use of the Area Monitoring System. The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue TD explains that Checks by Monitoring is an automated and continuous process. It will use satellite data along with other data sources to determine the agricultural activity on all land parcels declared by farmers under the Protein Aid Scheme in 2021. To facilitate the implementation of the Area Monitoring System (AMS), which will be compulsory in the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) post 2020, a phased introduction is being implemented by Ireland for various schemes over the interim period. The first phase will see Checks by Monitoring (CbM) is being used for the Protein Aid Scheme in 2021.