Following the release of a new Beef Carbon Reduction (BCR) scheme, farmers in Northern Ireland are being reminded of the requirements needed to opt-in.
The new payment support system has been open since earlier this year and encourages farms to minimise the slaughter age of clean finished beef cattle to reduce livestock emissions and improve sector efficiency.
For each eligible animal slaughtered farmers will now be provided with funding of £75, with payments of £20, £40 and £60 for eligible animals slaughtered in January, February and March 2024.
The department of agriculture (DAERA) have implemented a system update designed to allow farmers to monitor their animals’ data and check if slaughtered animals are eligible for payment, once they have opted into the new scheme.
The Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU) have encouraged all viable farmers to engage with the BCR’s requirements to do so, stating that only a third of beef farm businesses eligible for the scheme have signed up. Warning that the deadline for opting in is December 31 of this year.
The UFU said: “BCR works on scheme years, with one payment per scheme year. Each scheme year will run for January 1 to December 31. Payment rate is £75 per animal and the 2024 year is 30 months and under.”
Going forward the scheme will lower the maximum age for slaughter annually, plateauing in 2027 at 26 months.
MORE NEWS|https://www.thescottishfarmer.co.uk/news/24659600.manslaughter-case-farmer-collapses-court/
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