Farmers involved in the Beef Data and Genomics Programme (BDGP) have only a number of days to submit an application for the 2018 Carbon Navigator.

Participating farmers should have received a letter from the ICBF (Irish Cattle Breeding Federation) – on behalf of the Department of Agriculture – on how to complete the 2018 Carbon Navigator; it can either be completed on paper or online through HerdPlus on: www.ICBF.com.

The information required is from the 2018 calendar year and falls into three distinct sections:

Length of grazing season – turnout and housing dates for suckler cows and yearlings or an indication if stock were out-wintered;
Nitrogen usage – tonnes of CAN (calcium ammonium nitrate) used, total urea used and total tonnes of concentrate used;
Slurry and farmyard manure (FYM) management – the percentage of slurry and farmyard manure spread in spring/summer and autumn and the method of application used.

The Carbon Navigator must be completed no later than September 30, 2019.