The Suckler Carbon Efficiency Programme (SCEP) has a number of key requirements, with deadline dates for these actions to be completed by.
Three of these deadline dates are approaching and farmers participating in the scheme are reminded to ensure they have the required measures completed in advance of these deadline dates.
The first upcoming SCEP deadline date this year is for the weight recording element of SCEP.
Weight recording
Participants must weigh at least 80% of eligible animals born on the holding of the yearly reference number in each scheme year and their dams.
These weights must be submitted to the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBF) within seven days of weighing. The weights must be recorded in the ICBF database by 5:30p.m on November 1 annually.
If farmers are submitting weights by post, the forms must be received by ICBF by 5:30p.m on November 1 annually. This measure is worth 20% of the SCEP payment.
SCEP training
Scheme participants are also required to complete SCEP training. This action can be completed by attending the in-person training events which are now complete or by completing the training online.
The courses can be completed in one day or over different days but must be fully completed by November 15, 2024.
According to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM), failure to attend the training courses by November 15, 2024 will result in removal from the programme and monies paid under the programme will be recouped.
Genotyping
Applicants are required to take a tissue tag sample from animals selected for genotyping.
Initially ICBF selects the animals to be genotyped in each herd and notify herd owners of the animals selected, but it may be possible for the herdowner to nominate other animals for genotyping.
The number of animals to be genotyped each year will be at least equivalent to 70% of the beneficiary’s yearly reference number (rounded down to the nearest animal).
According to the DAFM, genomic samples will not be accepted after November 30 of each year of the scheme.
The closing date for completion of SCEP surveys is February 15, however the Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) livestock chair Declan Hanrahan advised farmers to submit their surveys “as soon as possible so payments can commence to these farmers earlier”.