The fourth year of the Sheep Welfare Scheme will commence on February 1 2020.
Existing participants in the scheme will be automatically enrolled and will not need to take any action should they wish to remain in the scheme.
The Sheep Welfare Scheme provides support to farmers for undertaking actions which make a positive contribution to flock welfare.
Information packs containing terms and conditions of the scheme in year 4, along with Action Record Books for 2020, will shortly be issuing from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine to existing participants in the scheme. The scheme was launched in December 2016
Applications for participation in year 4 of the Sheep Welfare Scheme are now also being accepted from new entrants to sheep farming.
For the purposes of the scheme, a new entrant to sheep farming is defined as an applicant who has applied for a new herd number from 1 January 2020 and prior to 31 December 2020, or an applicant with an existing herd number who has not held or traded in sheep for a two year period up to 31 October preceding the scheme year.
The Department has urged all eligible new entrants to the sheep sector to return their forms by 1 February.