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Basic Income Support for Sustainability (BISS) Scheme
From Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine
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The Basic Income Support for Sustainability (BISS) replaces the Basic Payment Scheme (BPS). The BISS is designed to provide a direct income support to Irish farmers to underpin their continued sustainability and viability.
The main income support will continue to be based on Payment Entitlements.
You must have 1 eligible hectare to support each Payment Entitlement.
To receive a support under BISS, applicants must:
- have an Eligible Hectare to accompany each Payment Entitlement. One Eligible Hectare of land declared = one BISS Payment Entitlement
- be a holder of a registered herd number or have applied for a herd number on or before 29 May 2023
- be an Active Farmer: The person claiming payments on the land must be the person farming and/or managing the land, that is, the Active Farmer. The farming activities can include meeting a minimum stocking rate (0.10 livestock unit per forage hectare), producing crops, cutting hay/silage, maintaining landscape features. If you are not the person farming/managing the land, you should not be declaring the land on your 2023 BISS application
You are paid per hectare of eligible land farmed and for which you hold entitlements. Under the scheme, this is called an eligible hectare. The maximum rate that you could be paid per hectare is determined by the value of the entitlements you hold.
The number and values of entitlements each farmer holds, depends on factors such as:
- payment rates and number of entitlements received under previous direct payment schemes
- adjustments each year to move values towards the national average (convergence)
- transfers of entitlements between farmers
Each entitlement the farmer holds must be supported by an Eligible Hectare to qualify for payment.
Maximum and minimum payment
The maximum payment that will be granted to any one farmer under the BISS, in any one scheme year is capped at an effective rate of €66,000. No payment will be made under the BISS where the amount is less than €100.
An advance payment may be made in October. Balancing payments under the BISS commence in December.
If you do not meet all of the conditions of the scheme you may receive a reduced payment or no payment.
Applications must be submitted online by midnight on Monday 29 May 2023.
To apply online, go to: agfood.ie.
If your login or password has expired and need to be renewed, please contact the department’s Online Services Helpdesk.
Agfood Online Services Helpdesk
Address: Government Offices, Farnham Street, Cavan, Co Cavan, H12 D459
Website: agfood.ie
Email: agfood@agriculture.gov.ie
Phone number: 049 4368288
Alternatively, you can authorise a Farm Advisory System (FAS) approved Advisor to apply on your behalf. For a listing of approved advisors please go to: Farm Advisory System (FAS).
This is the helpsheet and conditions of the 2023 Basic Income Support for Sustainability and other area related schemes.
BISS and other 2023 Area Based Schemes 2023 - Terms and Conditions
Terms and Conditions for BISS and other 2023 Area Based Schemes
- closing date for applications - 29 May 2023
- closing date for transfer of entitlements - 29 May 2023
- amending your application (no penalty) - 14 June 2023
- late application deadline (with a penalty) - 23 June 2023
- preliminary checks response deadline - 5 July 2023
- Area Monitoring Check notification commence - June 2023
The BISS Farmer Clinics will take place from 10am-4pm (Farmer Clinic only) or 12 noon - 7pm (with Public Meeting to start at 8pm). The Farmer Clinics will involve one-to-one support to assist farmers to submit their BISS application. 19 Farmer Clinics are scheduled (see full list below).
The BISS Public Meetings will take place from 8-10pm and involve presentations from department officials followed by an opportunity for questions from the audience. 10 Public Meetings are scheduled (see full list below).
| Date | Type | Location | Venue |
| 27/03/2023 | Clinic 10am-4pm | Adare | Woodlands House Hotel |
| 28/03/2023 | Clinic 12-7pm / Public meeting 8-10pm | Trim | Trim Castle |
| 29/03/2023 | Clinic 10am-4pm | Monaghan | Four Seasons Hotel |
| 30/03/2023 | Clinic 12-7pm/ Public meeting 8-10pm | Donegal Town | Central Hotel Donegal Town |
| 03/04/2023 | Clinic 12-7pm/Public meeting 8-10pm | Ennistymon | Falls Hotel |
| 04/04/2023 | Clinic 10am-4pm | Oranmore | Oranmore Lodge Hotel |
| 05/04/2023 | Clinic 12-7pm/Public meeting 8-10pm | Westport | Knockranny House Hotel |
| 13/04/2023 | Clinic 10am-4pm | Drumshanbo | DAFM Offices |
| 13/04/2023 | Public meeting 8-10pm | Carrick-on-Shannon | The Landmark Hotel |
| 18/04/2023 | Clinic 10am-4pm | Skibbereen | West Cork Hotel |
| 19/04/2023 | Clinic 12-7pm/ Public meeting 8-10pm | Dunmanway | Parkway Hotel |
| 20/04/2023 | Clinic 10am-4pm | Kenmare | Mart |
| 21/04/2023 | Clinic 10am-4pm | Cavan | DAFM Offices |
| 24/04/2023 | Public meeting 8-10pm | Portlaoise | Midlands Park |
| 25/04/2023 | Clinic 12-7pm/Public meeting 8-10pm | Clonmel | Talbot Hotel |
| 26/04/2023 | Clinic 10am-4pm | Athlone | Athlone Springs Hotel |
| 2/05/2023 | Clinic 10am-4pm | Carndonagh | Mart |
| 3/05/2023 | Clinic 10am-4pm | Baltinglass | Mart |
| 4/05/2023 | Clinic 12-7pm /Public meeting 8-10pm | Enniscorthy | Riverside Park Hotel |
| 9/05/2023 | Clinic 12-7pm /Public meeting 8-10pm | Tralee | The Rose Hotel |
| 10/05/2023 | Clinic 10am-4pm | Ballina | Great National Hotel |
Basic Income Support for Sustainability (BISS) Scheme
Address:
Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Government Buildings, Old Abbeyleix Road, Portlaoise, Co Laois, R32 PRA6
Phone number:
