Press release
Facility to amend 2025 reference number under the Suckler Carbon Efficiency Programme
From Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine
Published on
Last updated on
From Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine
Published on
Last updated on
Participants in the Suckler Carbon Efficiency Programme (SCEP) now have access to amend their 2025 yearly reference number, should they wish to do so.
SCEP provides support to beef farmers to improve the environmental sustainability of the national beef herd. Participants in SCEP set their programme reference number at application stage in the period March – June 2023 and this remains in place for the duration of the programme. However, as allowed for in the CAP Strategic Plan, participants can amend their yearly reference number each year of the programme during the amendment window.
Participants can reduce their 2025 yearly reference number by up to 20% of their 2024 yearly reference number. Alternatively, participants can increase their 2025 yearly reference number by any number back up to their programme reference number set at application stage, where the farmer or their FAS Advisor had reduced their yearly reference number in 2023 and/or 2024.
Any changes made to the 2025 yearly reference number (either increases or decreases) will have an associated impact on the requirements/actions to be carried out by the participant and on the maximum payment that the participant will be eligible to draw down later in 2025. Once an application to amend the 2025 yearly reference number is submitted online, no amendments can be made.
To avail of the maximum payment in 2025, participants must have at least enough determined eligible forage hectares under their 2025 BISS application to match their 2025 maximum payable area (MPA) and ensure that they are fully compliant with all the eligibility requirements and actions under the programme.
Where a participant does not wish to amend their 2025 yearly reference number from their 2024 yearly reference number then no action is required. Their 2024 yearly reference number will automatically roll over to 2025, if no amendment is submitted.
The window to amend 2025 yearly reference numbers is open until 23.59hrs on 12 February 2025.
Terms and conditions are available to download at gov.ie - Suckler Carbon Efficiency Programme (SCEP).
Programme reference number means the reference number chosen by the applicant to be their reference number for the duration of the programme.
Yearly reference number means the reference number declared by the applicant for each scheme year. This number cannot exceed their programme reference number and cannot be less than 80% of the declared yearly reference number from the previous year.
The EU’s common agricultural policy (CAP) is a partnership between society and agriculture that ensures a stable supply of food, safeguards farmers’ income, protects the environment and keeps rural areas vibrant. EU countries implement the CAP at national level with a tailored CAP Strategic Plan for the period 2023-2027.
The Suckler Carbon Efficiency Programme is co-funded by the EU and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine under Ireland’s CAP Strategic Plan 2023-2027.
For more information, visit www.gov.ie/cap.