Online applications for farm scheme

THE Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Simon Coveney this Wednesday announced the opening of iNet, an online application facility for the Single Payment Scheme It will open on this Thursday and the closing date for receipt of applications as 15th May.

“The opening of iNet over two months before the application closing date is very much in line with my commitment to maximise the use of technology for farmers’ benefit,” he said.

The minister said that over 73,000 applications were submitted online under the 2013 Scheme, representing a ten-fold increase since iNet was launched.

“With almost 40,000 applications submitted under the 2013 Scheme with no change recorded from the previous year, there is huge scope for many applicants to submit their 2013 applications sooner rather than later,” Minister Coveney noted.

“Initially, farmers and their approved agents were attracted to iNet by the fact that it guaranteed immediate, verifiable receipt by my department of their applications,” he added.

Minister Coveney urged anyone considering availing of the on-line facility to make enquiries via the website, www.agfood.ie or, alternatively, the dedicated Helpdesk at Lo-call 1890 252 118.

He also referred to the current campaign to encourage more farmers to sign-up for his department’s text messaging service, with a mail campaign having been launched recently.

“Currently 90,000 are signed-up this service, which during 2013 was used to advise farmers of the SFP closing date, receipt of individual SFP applications, payments and nitrates,” Minister Coveney stated.