Urgent reminder of Quality Assurance deadline

The Chairperson of ICMSA’s Livestock Committee, Des Morrison, has issued an urgent reminder to those farmers who applied for the suckler cow SCEP scheme that the closing date to be certified under the Bord Bia Quality Assurance Scheme (SBLAS) is the 16 October 2023.

Mr Morrison noted that if a farmer wishes to be paid under the SCEP, it is vital that they have applied for participation in SBLAS as soon as possible, given that acceptance into the Bord Bia QA scheme is a condition of the SCEP scheme.

“ICMSA understands that around 3,000 farmers who applied for SCEP have yet to apply for participation in SBLAS.

"Given the short timeframe ICMSA has asked the Department to change the conditions of the scheme to having applied for participation in SBLAS as opposed to having been certified by 16 October.”