Welcome for move on BEAM flexibility

A MAJOR change in the dates for the BEAM (Beef Emergency Aid Measure) confirmed last week by Agriculture Minister, Charlie McConalogue, has been welcomed by Galway IFA.

Minister McConalogue confirmed last week that the EU Commission had decided to allow Ireland the flexibility to set a new reduction period under the BEAM scheme.

In the new change, farmers can opt for a new reduction year (5% cut in nitrogen/livestock units) from January, 2021 to December 31, 2021.

However, if farmers in the scheme are satisfied that they are compliant with the 5% reduction stipulation under the old dates  – July 1, 2020 to June 30, 2021 – then they will ‘done and dusted’ with the scheme by July 1 next.

Galway IFA Livestock Representative, Micheál Haverty, said that while dates certainly wouldn’t solve all of the problems with the 5% reduction requirement, at least it would give most farms more wriggle room in terms of compliance.

“In one way, it does make you wonder how previous ministers could not have secured this change, but at least it’s here now and it will be a big help.

“We had tried hard to get the removal of the 5% reduction clause – and we feel that other options could have been taken at the inception of the scheme – but at least farmers under pressure to meet the July 1 deadline will now have more room for manoeuvre,” said Micheál Haverty.

However, he said that that some farmers would still be in difficulty with the scheme and there might be those who would say that the date extension was only a matter ‘of kicking the can further down the road’.

“What we really want to avoid is a situation where farmers would end up having to pay back millions of euro in this scheme. At least they have more time now to try and meet the reduction deadline.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

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