Delays with BDGP Tags Unacceptable
The ongoing delays in issuing genotyping tags for the BDGP scheme by the Department of Agriculture and ICBF are unacceptable and causing problems for suckler farmers, IFA Livestock Chairman Angus Woods has said.
He said excuses are not acceptable and the delays are impeding the efficient operation of the scheme at farm level, “The delay in issuing tags is creating problems for many suckler farmers with fragmented holdings wishing to run their operations in an efficient manner. Not having the tags on time, before the animals go to grass, is creating an extra and avoidable workload on farmers. In addition, farmers wishing to sell stock expected to have the tags on farm at this stage.”
Angus Woods said this is the third year of the BDGP scheme and it is high time that the Department of Agriculture and ICBF resolved the issue of late tags to farmers. He said there is no good reason why tags cannot be issued early to facilitate farmers.
On a positive note, the IFA livestock leader said the Department of Agriculture is working closely with individual farmers in the scheme to ensure that they will meet the October 2018 target. He said this is a very helpful approach from the Department and he encouraged farmers to take up any offers of help and assistance from the Department.
