More than 3,600 farmers are facing a penalty after missing the deadline under the Beef Exceptional Aid Measure (BEAM) scheme.
Participants in the scheme had to reduce their bovine manure nitrogen (N) levels by five per cent (compared to an earlier reference period) within a one-year reduction period that ended on 30 June.
However, due to the disruption caused by Covid-19 farmers were given the option to defer this reduction period by six months, giving them until 31 December 2021 to meet the five per cent reduction target.
The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine confirmed that a total of 18,707 of the some 34,000 participants had met the target within the original reduction period, of 30 June.
Around 5,300 had chosen to defer but, as they have already met the original target and require no further action, they will now be notified by the department that they are being removed from the BEAM deferment period.
Just over 16,000 applicants overall had taken the deferment option, which farmers had to apply for between March 19 and June 21.
LSL News