The first half of February contains two key dates for farmers seeking to enter in to a registered farm partnership for the upcoming BISS year, or for those farmers who have signed up to SCEP.

While applications to the Department of Agriculture for Registered Farm Partnerships (RFP) are accepted and processed all year round, it is important to note that if an applicant wishes to have their RFP number in time for the 2024 BISS deadline, then applications, including all accompanying documentation, must be received by the Farm Partnerships Unit by Friday, 10 February.

The Department of Agriculture has notified all agricultural advisers and wishes to inform those intending to apply for inclusion on the Department’s Farm Partnership Register that it has transitioned to a paperless system for all RFP applications. The dedicated email address for RFP applications and accompanying documentation is RFPApplications@agriculture.gov.ie. The email address for general queries is farmpartnerships@agriculture.gov.ie.

The Department explains: “All of the main farming enterprises can enter an RFP; dairying, beef, tillage, sheep and other enterprises, such as horticulture, pigs, poultry and goats. There is no transfer of ownership as part of the partnership agreement.

“When forming a farm partnership, all lands and assets – such as production rights, entitlements under the Basic Income Support for Sustainability Scheme and other Department schemes – are licensed to the farm partnership. This licence can be built into the written partnership agreement.”

SCEP surveys

A common action where full or part payment is withheld, is for record-keeping and event-recording. For full payment under this action, all survey data must have been recorded by the end of November. Where between 80% and 100% of the required data is submitted, then a proportionate reduction based on the percentage of data submitted will have been applied. Some farmers have contacted the Irish Farmers Journal in recent weeks who have had their payments reduced as a result of failing to complete this action.

If less than 80% of data was submitted, then the full payment for this action will have been withheld, plus a 10% penalty will have been applied. This is calculated on the sum of money attributed to the action. It is important to note that the money will be reimbursed if the required data is submitted by 15 February 2024.