As the Basic Income Support for Sustainability (BISS) application deadline approaches, farmers are being advised that there are no plans to introduce a Baling Assistance Payment (BAP) this year.

While the Straw Incorporation Measure (SIM) has been renewed, only farmers intent on chopping and incorporating straw are advised to apply.

Last year, due to fears of a straw shortage, then Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue created the BAP, but only farmers who had applied for the SIM were eligible to apply. There are fears that this year’s SIM will be complicated by farmers who do not intend to chop straw applying “just in case” of a repeat. Circumstances are very different this year, with crops in fine fettle following an excellent spring.

A spokesman for Agriculture Minister Martin Heydon confirmed that the SIM will operate as planned, with a support payment for those farmers that apply and commit to chop and incorporate eligible crops. With a week to go to the deadline for completion of the BISS and related schemes, about one-quarter of farmers have still to complete their applications. As of Tuesday afternoon, 91,888 applications had been received. Over 127,000 applications were made last year.

No less than 10 schemes are included in the application portal, all with the same deadline of midnight, 15 May.

Apart from the Basic Income Supplement for Sustainability, (BISS), farmers can apply for the Complementary Redistributive Income Support for Sustainability (CRISS), the Areas of Natural Constraint scheme (ANC), eco-schemes, the Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES) the Organics Scheme, the SIM, the Protein Aid Scheme, the Multi-Species Sward Measure and the Red Clover Measure.

The Department will keep the helpline (057-8674422) open 9am-9pm for the remaining weekdays of the application period, from 9.30am-5.00pm on Saturday and Sunday, and until midnight on 15 May.