Mayo farmers urged to attend meetings to assist with new CAP schemes

DEPUTY Alan Dillon has urged Mayo farmers to attend in-person public meetings and farmer clinics to assist with new Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) schemes.

The meetings and clinics will be held in April and May to assist them in making their applications online for the Basic Income Support for Sustainability (BISS) and other area-based schemes and also the Suckler Carbon Efficiency Programme (SCEP).

The BISS farmer clinic will be held at Knockranny House Hotel, Westport, on April 5 from 12 noon to 7 p.m. and will involve one-to-one support to assist farmers to submit their BISS application.

A public meeting will be held that evening from 8 to 10 p.m. and will involve presentations from department officials followed by an opportunity for questions from the audience.

A second clinic will be held in the Great National Hotel Ballina from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on May 10.

Suckler Carbon Efficiency Programme

The department, in conjunction with ICBF and Bord Bia, has organised nine public information meetings on the new Suckler Carbon Efficiency Programme (SCEP) over the coming months.

In Mayo, a meeting will be held at the Great National Hotel Ballina on May 3 from 8 p.m.

While the public information meetings commence at 8 p.m., department officials will be available from 6 p.m. at the venues to assist farmers with their SCEP application if they so wish.

In addition, a webinar on SCEP will be held on April 4 at 7 p.m.

Said Deputy Dillon: “These are great opportunities for Mayo farmers who intend on applying for BISS and SCEP to get advice and guidance on their applications.

“The changes in rules and regulations can be confusing for farmers and most applications now need to be made online.

“I am urging all Mayo farmers to try and attend the meetings and clinics, which will be of great assistance when finalising their applications.”