STAP - Joining?

Wooly Admirer

I see the Sheep Discussion group payment has been launched. Sheep farmers finally getting similar oppertunities as other sectors. Any opinions on it - forms etc are on the DAFM website. Seems simple enough.

Username John

Thanks for posting Wolly, I hadnt realised the forms were available. I must have a look now.

Going by what I have read on here re the BTAP, if it follows the same principles as this, then I would be very interested in it...

Username John

Oh.... just reading the Terms & Conditions now...

Don't like this one...

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
8. In order to be eligible to participate in the Programme:
(a) Farmers must have a minimum flock size of 30 breeding sheep, (based on either the 2011 or 2012 Sheep and Goat Census). In addition, applicants who are selling lambs directly for processing must apply for membership of the Bord Bia Lamb Quality Assurance Scheme by 28 March 2013 and achieve certification by 30 September 2013.

Is there a benefit to being Bora Bia certified in terms of payment from the factories, I didn't think there was?

Wooly Admirer

There's not. But I suppose if your Quality Assured, then you're likely to keeping your records/system pretty tight. I guess the Dept feel that this is a good idea - despite the fact that there is no market return currently, which something needs to be done about.

Conmaicne Mara

How does one find out where a group will be forming? I see the list of facilitators, is it a case of emailing all of them in the county?

Wooly Admirer

I'd just call whoever is closest to you. Alot of those facilitators will not form any group. You don't want to driving half way across the county to go to meetings, when there's a group on your doorstep.

Conmaicne Mara

Problem there, they're all over 60 mile from me. I'll have to get emailing I think.

tabby aspreme

Got a text from Teagasc a while ago about a STAP meeting next Thursday night in Naas , give them a ring and they will tell you where info meetings are on

rancher

Username John wrote: »

Oh.... just reading the Terms & Conditions now...

Don't like this one...



Is there a benefit to being Bora Bia certified in terms of payment from the factories, I didn't think there was?

There is now!!!!!!! I'll deffo be joining..doing a lot of the stuff anyway

eire23

I see in the guidelines it says you will have to pay a fee to the facilatator at the start of the first year.
Persume this is for non teagasc members?

Will go along to the local meeting anyways and see what the story is

Conmaicne Mara

tabby aspreme wrote: »

Got a text from Teagasc a while ago about a STAP meeting next Thursday night in Naas , give them a ring and they will tell you where info meetings are on

Yup, I got one, 60 down to 35 lol. Will give them a ring Monday.

foyle

Can anyone explain whats involved in this scheme ?? Have looked up the DAFM website but dont see what I would need to do.Thanks

Username John

foyle wrote: »

Can anyone explain whats involved in this scheme ?? Have looked up the DAFM website but dont see what I would need to do.Thanks

Have a look here.

Conmaicne Mara

foyle wrote: »

Can anyone explain whats involved in this scheme ?? Have looked up the DAFM website but dont see what I would need to do.Thanks

And more links

http://www.agriculture.gov.ie/farmingsectors/sheepandgoats/sheeptechnologyadoptionprogramme2013/

foyle

Thanks...looks interesting. I am doing some of the tasks already (i think)

Conmaicne Mara

"E. GENERAL PROVISIONS
15. EU State Aid Rules: STAP payments must comply with EU rules regarding the
cumulative amount of state aid granted for primary agricultural production over any
3-year period.
Commission Regulation (EC) No. 1535/2007 provides that such aid is restricted to a
maximum of €7,500 per claimant over any period of 3 fiscal years. The following
Schemes are affected by this de minimis ceiling:
Beef Technology Adoption Programme.
BVD for producers; &
Any other de minimis schemes paid in 2013.
Participants should note that successful participation in the 2013 STAP shall not
confer an automatic entitlement to payment and that cross-checks will be made by
DAFM to ensure that payments made to individual participants in respect of the years
2011, 2012 and 2013 do not exceed the de minimis limit of €7,500."

Where are they saying the 7,500 comes from? Payments from where? I am scratching my head with the department speak.

agcons

National Energy Premium
Premium Scheme for maintaining purebred Kerry herds in Ireland
Fodder Aid
Failed Miscanthus Crops
Training for Suckler Welfare Scheme
Suckler Welfare Scheme
Bovine Virus Diarrhoea (BVD) Erradication Scheme
Suckler Welfare Scheme
Farm Electrification Scheme

These are the de minimus payments so it is unlikely any STAP will be affected by them.
Surprisingly good interest here in the midlands so far. Maybe after the success of the beef groups last year people are getting used to the concept

Vandy West

Any one else get a price from a facilitator for their fee?

Was told by a teagasc facilitator that the fee would be about €450 (I am not a member so i assume it would be less for members).

Still would be a good scheme, but seems a bit steep. That would be €9000 for a twenty member group and each facilitator could have a couple of groups.

Going to check with a private facilitator to compare, so would be good to see what prices others have got.

Conmaicne Mara

Vandy West wrote: »

Any one else get a price from a facilitator for their fee?

Was told by a teagasc facilitator that the fee would be about €450 (I am not a member so i assume it would be less for members).

Still would be a good scheme, but seems a bit steep. That would be €9000 for a twenty member group and each facilitator could have a couple of groups.

Going to check with a private facilitator to compare, so would be good to see what prices others have got.

Rough figure we were given was €150 if you were already a Teagasc client, and €300 if not.

tabby aspreme

Anybody know if the list of tasks remain the same for the three years ,also are the compulsory tasks changed each year,

razor8

Vandy West wrote: »

Any one else get a price from a facilitator for their fee?

Was told by a teagasc facilitator that the fee would be about €450 (I am not a member so i assume it would be less for members).

Still would be a good scheme, but seems a bit steep. That would be €9000 for a twenty member group and each facilitator could have a couple of groups.

Going to check with a private facilitator to compare, so would be good to see what prices others have got.

Our Ag Consultant said his fee would be €250 each year

drive it

Was at a meeting and a lot of lads didnt seem to be interested in it as some thought it was a guaranteed €1000 but when told if over subscribed the money comes down and fees are set eg. 6000 are in so money is €500 instead of the 3000 in at €1000 each and teagasc fees are €150 if say you are a client on top of what you pay already and around €300 if not. One of the lads giving the talk said "if you are going in just for the money it's not for you" it's more to improve your flock and better management the money is just a sweetener.

Wooly Admirer

The return farmers will get from learning a few things from others will out weigh the payment in multiples.

Cran

My guy asked if I knew anyone else interested, said very little interest in th area. We ll see cause I defo not doing it for the money, some items on the list I really want to do.

Wooly Admirer

Cran wrote: »

My guy asked if I knew anyone else interested, said very little interest in th area. We ll see cause I defo not doing it for the money, some items on the list I really want to do.

What is your general area - Is it sheep country?

drive it

I agree WoolyAdmirer but from some of the chat out of lads at the meeting it was all about the money and I don't think any other questions was asked about the scheme and another thing struck me there 95% were over 55 and maybe I am wrong but I don't think older lads are bothered about improving a flock

Wooly Admirer

drive it wrote: »

I agree WoolyAdmirer but from some of the chat out of lads at the meeting it was all about the money and I don't think any other questions was asked about the scheme and another thing struck me there 95% were over 55 and maybe I am wrong but I don't think older lads are bothered about improving a flock

Ah thats fair enough - there are over 30000 sheep farmers in the country and STAP is only looking for 10% of them!! so its not going to be for everyone.

Salmonman

Met with my ag consultant today,300 euro,must attend 4 classes and possibly have another 6 meeting to do.He had said a lot of farmers not doing it because they were not sure how much money they were certain of

Cran

Wooly Admirer wrote: »

What is your general area - Is it sheep country?

South East, has a name for sheep but thats long gone mainly tillage round here now. Agree with drive it very few older farmers interested in improvement, happy doing what they've been doing for the past 40 years which is fine. Its just see alot of their sons though continuing to do the same, I hope they join or they will probably exit sheep over the next 10 years.....

Wooly Admirer

drive it wrote: »

Was at a meeting and a lot of lads didnt seem to be interested in it as some thought it was a guaranteed €1000 but when told if over subscribed the money comes down and fees are set eg. 6000 are in so money is €500 instead of the 3000 in at €1000 each and teagasc fees are €150 if say you are a client on top of what you pay already and around €300 if not. One of the lads giving the talk said "if you are going in just for the money it's not for you" it's more to improve your flock and better management the money is just a sweetener.

STAP Terms and Conditions

'C. SELECTION CRITERIA
10. In the event that the number of applicants exceeds the funding available, the Minister reserves the right to prioritise applications using objective selection criteria.'

The final numbers might be whittled down a bit to reduce numbers - if they are huge.

Farm King

I am a bit confused regarding the requirements of this scheme in relation to the Quality Assurance Scheme. If I do not ever send animals to the factory, do I have to join it?

razor8

you dont and even if you had lambs fit for slaughter you can still sell through a mart.

one thing i was told to watch out for was killing a lamb for the freezer through an abattoir. in this situation you need to be a member of the assurance scheme

Conmaicne Mara

Uhm, that' not what Teagasc are saying. I brought it up at a meeting with two advisors there, both said you have to be with Bord Bia to get in, and I've heard it repeated since.

Just remembered how I heard it repeated was from another farmer who has regular contact with yet another Teagasc advisor in a different county, one who would be well aquainted with sheep.

Salmonman

My ag consultant said i did'nt have to join bord bia because I sell all my lambs through the mart

Conmaicne Mara

I think we need clarification on this Bord Bia issue.

When I read the Department documentation first I took it that way, if I sell stores, then I don't need to be in BB. If I sell direct to factory/processor, then I do.

Then I went to that meeting and was told there was a lot of confusion about it but that BB was indeed needed regardless.

Going to make a call Monday I think.

Sent an email to the Department asking for clarification.

tabby aspreme

Was at a Tesgasc STAP meeting last week in Naas the advisors spent more time puffing up the quality assurance than anything else ,my understanding of it is you only need to be assured if lambs go to factory, I reckon if the dept are going to turn farmers away from the STAP it would be the dry hogget farmers they would refuse first

drive it

Ya we were told you have to be in board bia to be eligible

Highland

Bord Bia QA only applies if you sell lambs direct for slaughter - its very clear in the terms and condtions. So if you sell stores or all your lambs through a mart then you do not need to be in the Lamb Quality Assurance Scheme.

That said - the quality assuracne scheme is free to join , and if you can pass that you will have 90% of your paper work right if you get a cross compliance inspection - its like having a dry run at a Dept inspection only there is not penalty if you fail - can't see what the fuss is about

Username John

Hello,

I think today is final day for joining.

So - did many here join?

Can I ask what the final fees quoted were? (I was quoted a fee of 300 from Teagasc, but they kinda said they weren't sure at the same time)

razor8

I have and was invoiced for €250

Salmonman

I think march 1st is deadline day,today was last day for facilators to put in their names.Was charged 300 euro

Conmaicne Mara

I sent in my form on Tuesday morning.

agcons

Forms were to be with facilitators today but he(she) has til march 1st to send them to the dept. €450 for our groups, or €350 for existing REPS or BTAP clients. includes vat and SFP if required. Surprisingly high level of interest given relatively small number of sheep farmers around, compared to cattle farmers. I think the success of the BTAP last year has encouraged farmers on the idea that discussion groups may be worthwhile

Salmonman

Anyone hear how many names in for new scheme

Conmaicne Mara

No, but Teagasc had ads out on radio at least before the deadline which makes me wonder about uptake.

I've my application sent in, but heard nothing back yet.

rancher

Conmaicne Mara wrote: »

No, but Teagasc had ads out on radio at least before the deadline which makes me wonder about uptake.

I've my application sent in, but heard nothing back yet.

I was told by a dept guy that it's way over subscribed

Conmaicne Mara

rancher wrote: »

I was told by a dept guy that it's way over subscribed

The more the merrier, I hope it will bring positive change to all the farmers who get in.

Farm King

Anybody get any word back from Teagasc yet in relation to STAP? Any meetings held yet?

rancher

Farm King wrote: »

Anybody get any word back from Teagasc yet in relation to STAP? Any meetings held yet?

We had a meeting last week, it was just to plan the year, next meeting on the 9april
5000 applied....if they all stay, the payment will be €600

Farm King

5,000 !!!!! thats not good! Do ye think most of these 5,000 will stay in it?

I have not heard any word back from teagasc yet. I will ring at end of week if there is still nothing.

Conmaicne Mara

My group is starting the 2nd week of April, got a letter out this morning from Teagasc. Enclosed was a form for Bord Bia scheme.