Latest news with #AreaMonitoringSystem
Agriland
a day ago
- Business
- Agriland
Opportunities to correct BISS applications without penalty
The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) has advised farmers of two important opportunities regarding corrections to their 2025 Basic Income Support for Sustainability (BISS) and other area-based scheme applications. The department is currently carrying out preliminary checks to identify any over-claims, overlaps or dual claims made in BISS applications. Notifications will be issued where the department error on the farmer's 2025 BISS application. In 2025, the department estimated that around 4,600 herds will receive a preliminary check notification. In the event that a farmer or their advisor receives a preliminary check notification, they should log on to and respond before the deadline of June 23, 2025. DAFM The department has also informed farmed that notifications relating to the Area Monitoring System (AMS) are due to begin from June 24, for 'a minority of farmers'. Under the current Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), the AMS is mandatory across all EU member states to monitor compliance with farm scheme criteria. The system uses Copernicus Sentinel satellite data which is gathered automatically every five days and stored to provide up-to-date information as required. The first round of AMS notifications is for the potential presence of artificial surfaces, for example: buildings, farmyard extensions and farm roadways, in land parcel(s). Farmers or their advisor will have 14 days from the notification date to respond to the AMS notification. DAFM said that further rounds of AMS notifications will issue from July 2025 onwards. 'These preliminary checks and AMS notifications allow the farmer the opportunity to rectify issues with their BISS and other area-based scheme applications, without penalty. 'Farmers and advisors should check the correspondence section of their online account. 'Where a farmer is signed up for text message alerts, a text will issue to advise them that they have a notification on their account,' a DAFM spokesperson said. DAFM added that should farmers wish to contact the department they can do so at: 057 867 4422 in relation to queries on their BISS and other area-based schemes application, preliminary checks notifications, AMS notifications; 049 436 8288 in relation to queries on registering for – for example queries on lost passwords, how to register; AMS@ in relation to queries on AMS notifications
Agriland
3 days ago
- Politics
- Agriland
DAFM: First round of AMS notifications due later this month
The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) has confirmed that the first round of Area Monitoring System (AMS) notifications will be sent to farmers later this month. The AMS is the observation and assessment of agricultural activities and practices on agricultural areas. The system uses Copernicus Sentinel satellite data which is gathered automatically every five days and stored to provide up-to-date information as required. AMS Under the current Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), the AMS is mandatory across all EU member states to monitor compliance with farm scheme criteria. The AMS interprets satellite imagery to provide decisions on agricultural activity on all declared land parcels of which there are approximately 1.1 million in Ireland. The department is monitoring all area-based schemes with data gathered by the system. DAFM spokesperson told Agriland:'The first round of AMS notifications will focus on the presence of potential artificial surfaces and will issue end of June with a deadline for receipt of responses of July 8, 2025.' 'The second round of notifications will issue mid-July and will notify on potential non-compliance detected for incorrect crops, potential ineligible areas, and no evidence of agricultural activity. 'The third round of notifications will issue mid-August and will notify on potential non-compliance detected for incorrect crops, potential ineligible areas, no evidence of agricultural activity and no evidence of ACRES winter bird food. 'The deadline for receipt of completed responses for both rounds 2 and 3 will be 2nd September 2025,' the spokesperson added. DAFM issued over 5,800 notifications to landowners this year due to potential scheme issues being detected through the AMS.
Irish Examiner
16-05-2025
- Business
- Irish Examiner
Satellites to monitor more ACRES actions
Copernicus Sentinel satellite data will be used to ensure area-based schemes have met eligibility requirements for 2025. The Department of Agriculture will continue to use the Area Monitoring System (AMS) via satellite data to regularly monitor, track, and assess agricultural activities and practices. A total of seven ACRES actions will be monitored by AMS in 2025. Brassica Fodder Stubble, Catch Crops, Environmental Management of Arable Fallow, Extensively Grazed Pasture, Riparian Buffer Zone — Arable, Riparian Buffer Zone — Grassland, and Winter Bird Food are all the actions being monitored for 2025. AMS interprets the satellite imagery, which enables the department to monitor agricultural activities on the 1.3 million declared land parcels in the country. Parcels monitored by AMS will have colour-coded results: green, yellow, or red. Parcels flagged as green and yellow indicate the farmer's application has been verified by AMS, and payments can be made. A land parcel flagged as red indicates an error that could result in a message to the farmer via their BISS online account and a delay in payments. If a land parcel is red, follow-up checks by an on-the-ground inspector are to be expected to provide further clarification. The department may also request the farmer to submit geotagged photographs using AgriSnap, as part of the checks process. Online amendments can be made to the 2025 BISS application up to May 31, 2025, without incurring a penalty. Further information relating to AMS and how an applicant should respond if issued with an AMS notification, is available under Section 16 of the BISS terms and conditions. Read More New scheme offers 60% support for nutrient storage
Agriland
13-05-2025
- General
- Agriland
DAFM: Additional ACRES actions to be satellite monitored
A total of seven actions under the Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES) will be monitored for compliance using satellite technology this year. The Department of Agriculture, Food, and the Marine (DAFM) has said it will continue to use the Area Monitoring System (AMS) to ensure that area-based schemes, including ACRES, have met their eligibility requirements for 2025. AMS involves the regular and systematic observation, tracking and assessment of agricultural activities and practices on agricultural areas using Copernicus Sentinel Satellite data. ACRES Last year, AMS monitored two ACRES actions, Extensively Grazed Pasture and Winter Bird Food, as part of the 2024 ACRES checks. This year, the deparment has confirmed that a further five actions will be added, as follows: Brassica Fodder Stubble: AMS will check for establishment of catch crop; Catch Crops: AMS will check for establishment of catch crop; Environmental Management of Arable Fallow: AMS will check for establishment of catch crop; of catch crop; Extensively Grazed Pasture: AMS will check for mowing events during the restricted period, from March 15 to July 1; restricted period, from March 15 to July 1; Riparian Buffer Zone – Arable: AMS will check for the presence of a grass crop and mowing events during the restricted period, from March 1 to August 31; and mowing events during the restricted period, from March 1 to August 31; Riparian Buffer Zone – Grassland: AMS will check for the presence of a grass crop and mowing events during the restricted period, from March 1 to August 31; and mowing events during the restricted period, from March 1 to August 31; Winter Bird Food: AMS will check for establishment of Winter Bird Food crop by May 15. This brings to seven the total number of ACRES specific actions that will be monitored by AMS in 2025. Satellite The AMS interprets Sentinel satellite imagery which then enables DAFM to determine agricultural activities on the 1.3 million declared land parcels in the country. The parcels monitored by AMS will have colour-coded results: green, yellow, or red. DAFM said that parcels flagged as green and yellow indicate a degree of confidence that the land details in the farmer's application has been verified by AMS and payments can be made. However, a land parcel flagged as red indicates an error which may result in a notification being issued to the applicant on their BISS online account, along with a request to submit geotagged photographs using the department's Agrisnap app. An error could include an ineligible crop sown to meet the requirements of a particular scheme, an incorrect crop declared on BISS (different to what AMS has identified on the ground) or the presence of an ineligible feature such as a roadway or residence. The department noted that AMS may be complemented with follow up checks on the ground by an inspector to provide further clarification. DAFM added that failure to respond to an AMS notification and to submit an Agrisnap may result in a delay to scheme payments.
