New sheep welfare scheme

Lambman

As the current one has ended on January 15th I thought I'd open a thread for advice on the new one. They have said there will be a new one and anybody already in the old one wont have till reapply. My question is I was in it the 1st 2 years but didn't bother the last 2 years as my numbers and increased over 8x the reference years as the 2nd reference year was my 1st year with my own flock number they halved the number off ewes I had that year till give an average over the 2 years unfair I thought. Anyways I this new 1 is going till run say for a further 4 years and there gonna use the last 2 years as reference years then it would be a valuable scheme for me till be in. Heard closing date for entries is February 1st. I dont remember getting application forms sent out so how do I apply?

thelegend1979

2020 is the last year of the old scheme.

Lambman

Ah rite thought it was this year.. wonder will this year and last year be reference years then if they start a new one.

Siamsa Sessions

Forms will be sent in the post according to the Journal this week.

I’m going to give the Dept a shout anyway to see if they can up my reference number. I was getting 0 first time around as we were only getting back into sheep during the first reference year, but I appealed the decision and made my case as best I could.

Didn’t get the full number I was looking for but they at least gave me the number on the census form for the first year. So will give them a try again in the next week or two when the forms arrive in the post

Lambman

I'd say the chances off me getting in with an average of my last 2 census would be 0. Will just have till wait till next year then so and see is a new one coming out.

wrangler

Lambman wrote: »

I'd say the chances off me getting in with an average of my last 2 census would be 0. Will just have till wait till next year then so and see is a new one coming out.

Got the form this morning, no change, you should try your case like siamsa, a lot of sheep flocks gone to dairying so there should be a lump of money available.
There was €25m allocated to it as well and I think only €18m taken up

razor8

Had an sheep welfare inspection here on Friday so must be doing rounds

Siamsa Sessions

razor8 wrote: »

Had an sheep welfare inspection here on Friday so must be doing rounds

Yup, had a Dept guy call here last Friday too. We're doing lameness and scanning, and he just needed to see the right pages in welfare booklet filled out.


This guy has been out to us before and he's a decent enough skin in fairness.

Bleating Lamb

razor8 wrote: »

Had an sheep welfare inspection here on Friday so must be doing rounds

Did you get any notice before they called?

razor8

Bleating Lamb wrote: »

Did you get any notice before they called?

I got 3 days notice so can’t complain

Siamsa Sessions

Bleating Lamb wrote: »

Did you get any notice before they called?

When the Dept guy phoned first, I put him off for a few days coz I was busy lambing and he was grand with that. Gave me a chance to update the booklet too!

He was due to call this day last week then (Monday), but cancelled himself and ended up calling Friday instead. He was fairly flexible and very relaxed about things overall.

Bleating Lamb

Siamsa Sessions wrote: »

When the Dept guy phoned first, I put him off for a few days coz I was busy lambing and he was grand with that. Gave me a chance to update the booklet too!

He was due to call this day last week then (Monday), but cancelled himself and ended up calling Friday instead. He was fairly flexible and very relaxed about things overall.

Thanks,PM sent.

belarus

Quick question, I help my uncle with some of his farm paperwork, he had 40 ewes for the reference years but now has 150. Do you need to comply with the requirements for all ewes or just what is being paid (the 40)?

Thanks

Siamsa Sessions

belarus wrote: »

Quick question, I help my uncle with some of his farm paperwork, he had 40 ewes for the reference years but now has 150. Do you need to comply with the requirements for all ewes or just what is being paid (the 40)?

Thanks

I’d have said the 40 since that’s what he’s getting paid for, but it might look a bit funny or cause the inspector to dig deeper into the SWS booklet if he’s claiming he’s only doing the actions for 40 out of 150 ewes.

As ever, a lot will depend on the inspector himself.

Is your uncle the type of man who could put up a good argument if questions are asked?

Sheep breeder

belarus wrote: »

Quick question, I help my uncle with some of his farm paperwork, he had 40 ewes for the reference years but now has 150. Do you need to comply with the requirements for all ewes or just what is being paid (the 40)?

Thanks

Same boat here and rang up and asked the question and was told that all ewes on the farm are part of the scheme and require both measures to carried out in full.

belarus

Siamsa Sessions wrote: »

I’d have said the 40 since that’s what he’s getting paid for, but it might look a bit funny or cause the inspector to dig deeper into the SWS booklet if he’s claiming he’s only doing the actions for 40 out of 150 ewes.

As ever, a lot will depend on the inspector himself.

Is your uncle the type of man who could put up a good argument if questions are asked?

He does like an argument, whether he is good at it is another thing.

Sheep breeder wrote: »

Same boat here and rang up and asked the question and was told that all ewes on the farm are part of the scheme and require both measures to carried out in full.

I figured it might be that, in fairness to him I think he has done everything it's just trying to find receipts for them.

wrangler

The department is considering moving the reference year to 2017.
don't forget to send in your census

Dinzee Conlee

wrangler wrote: »

The department is considering moving the reference year to 2017.
don't forget to send in your census

When is that due by?

wrangler

Dinzee Conlee wrote: »

When is that due by?

By post, 1st feb,
online by 15th feb

lucky john

It's a bit annoying that 2017 is the reference year. I had 20 sheep in 2017 but up to 90 now with plans to go higher. i would expect that many sheep farmers would be in the same boat. AS this is a Sheep Welfare scheme you would think getting as many sheep into the scheme as possible would be sensible. 2017 is a long time ago in sheep farming terms with both the move to milk and the improved sheep scene. For me anyway, applying for such a small % of my flock would no be worth while.

Siamsa Sessions

lucky john wrote: »

It's a bit annoying that 2017 is the reference year. I had 20 sheep in 2017 but up to 90 now with plans to go higher. i would expect that many sheep farmers would be in the same boat. AS this is a Sheep Welfare scheme you would think getting as many sheep into the scheme as possible would be sensible. 2017 is a long time ago in sheep farming terms with both the move to milk and the improved sheep scene. For me anyway, applying for such a small % of my flock would no be worth while.

Similar situation here. My numbers are higher now than 2017.

The whole thing is starting to look like they're just making it up as they along. The Dept/Minister released a statement before Xmas saying you could contact them and ask for a review of your reference number. No other details available at the time.

I rang them first and got the same info - no documentation requested or anything like that, just email them the lady said and explain about going up in numbers.

So I did that and a few weeks later got a reply to say I didn't justify why I should get a new reference number. Apparently then (3 weeks ago), you needed to have "exception circumstances, force majure, etc." before you'd get an updated reference number.

Exact quote: "Reference numbers will only be increased if applicants had an exceptional circumstance, Force Majeure or medical reason as to why they had lower numbers in the reference years."

There was no mention of this in the media statement before Xmas. They said then to contact them and they'd review requests on a case-by-case basis.

That reply email also said no one was getting a new reference number.

Quotes:

"All existing participants will roll forward [into 2021] and there will be no change to reference numbers."

And

"There is no new review process for reference number for 2021."

But fast-forward to last week and they announce that the Minister is now asking for 2017 to be new reference year.

Communication from the Dept is a mess as always. If you know what you're doing, then it's easy to explain it. But if you're making it up as you go along, then you don't know what to say.

realistically i could see this scheme being wound up...if these high lamb prices keep up next year to 18 months



Its money for jam tbh

qaz123

Been lambing ewes last 3 years wasn't in original sheep welfare scheme. anyone know can I sign up now or is it just for new entrants to sheep and those already in scheme

White Clover

qaz123 wrote: »

Been lambing ewes last 3 years wasn't in original sheep welfare scheme. anyone know can I sign up now or is it just for new entrants to sheep and those already in scheme

I'm in same position as you and the lady in dept said no.
She said I should have joined in 2018.

Stationmaster

Same as above. I only started last year. Presume I don't get anything?

Kevhog1988

Deleted User wrote: »

realistically i could see this scheme being wound up...if these high lamb prices keep up next year to 18 months



Its money for jam tbh

Thats why i want in lol. paying you to do something you would probably be at anyway

White Clover

Kevhog1988 wrote: »

Thats why i want in lol. paying you to do something you would probably be at anyway

Or put it another way, subsidising the factories.

Siamsa Sessions

White Clover wrote: »

Or put it another way, subsidising the factories.

...and the supermarkets. And the consumers.

Western Pomise

Just wondering has payment issued for 2020 scheme?.....or last years scheme in other words.

Western Pomise

Western Pomise wrote: »

Just wondering has payment issued for 2020 scheme?.....or last years scheme in other words.

Went through paperwork and see we got paid alright.Does it look like any type of similiar scheme will come in to replace it do people think?

Western Pomise

Western Pomise wrote: »

Went through paperwork and see we got paid alright.Does it look like any type of similiar scheme will come in to replace it do people think?

I got an envelope with this years record book in it. No need for me to do anything, if I want to stay in it.

OneMan37

[Deleted User] wrote: »

I got an envelope with this years record book in it. No need for me to do anything, if I want to stay in it.

Aye, I got a letter requesting last years completed record book sent off within 10 working days. Sent it off immediately. No big problem. But they are doing on farm checks too.

Kevhog1988

I got my acceptance letter yesterday and my form for which sections I'm choosing.

lucky john

Kevhog1988 wrote: »

I got my acceptance letter yesterday and my form for which sections I'm choosing.

Do you qualify as a new entrant to sheep or did you argue your case?

Kevhog1988

lucky john wrote: »

Do you qualify as a new entrant to sheep or did you argue your case?

Yeah qualified as a new entrant. I just senta mail asking a question, got a phone call and then an acceptance letter

arctictree

Just got the letter today. Reference year is indeed 2017. They said that the payments will commence end of November.

arctictree

My payment is on Agfood but it's less than last year even though I have double the ewes in 2017 than the previous reference!

orm0nd

Payment in bank account this morning

Kevhog1988

85% of the payment is pending on Agfood. Do they release the 15% later in the year?. Only 12 ewes in my reference qty so a massive €102 on its way but still better than a kick in the hole lol