11 April 2025
A reminder of SCEP requirements
Farmers participating in the Suckler Carbon Efficiency Programme (SCEP) need to be aware that the number of eligible females required within their herd will be higher come October 31, 2025.
As part of a recent beef scheme update on the Teagasc Beef Edge podcast, Assistant Principal Officer over Beef Schemes with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM), Margaret Brennan joined Catherine Egan to provide timely reminders on SCEP and the new Dairy Beef Weighing Scheme for 2025.
To ensure SCEP compliance, the DAFM representative reminded farmers: “Applicants are required to ensure on the 31st of October 2025 from the female perspective that at least 65% of their yearly reference number are eligible females that are genotyped four- or five-star on the Replacement Index.”
The genotyped four- or five-star element relates to either a ‘within’ or an ‘across’ breed basis, and animals must achieve this status at the time of purchase – if animals are being bought into the herd – or at the time of genotyping for a farmer’s own retained replacements.
On what defines an eligible female, Margaret Brennan said: “An eligible female is a beef breed female that’s at least 16 months old on the 31st of October 2025, that’s genotyped four- or five-star on the Replacement Index at the time of purchase or at the time of genotyping for those females that are bred within the herd.”
Additionally, Margaret Brennan reminded farmers to study their reference number for the 2025 SCEP year, so that they can decide how many eligible females they actually need on October 31, 2025.
Along with detailing the eligible female and reference number requirements, Margaret Brennan also reminded farmers of actions to ensure their continued participation in SCEP. These include:
- Bord Bia SBLAS membership must be maintained for the duration of SCEP participation.
- A minimum of 50% of the yearly reference number should calve down between July 1, 2024, and June 30, 2025.
- A valid BISS application for 2025 must be submitted.
The DAFM representative also provided tips on how farmers can maximise their payments under SCEP, noting that all actions should be carried out by the required dates. For instance, genotype samples must be submitted by November 30, 2025, SCEP weights recorded on ICBF by November 1, 2025, and all survey data must be completed and submitted by February 15, 2026.
Additionally, with many farmers now returning BISS applications, Margaret Brennan reminded farmers to be conscious of the claimed forage area, adding: “If they fall below 80% [for the claimed forage area], they aren’t eligible for payment in that scheme year. It is important to ensure that they have enough eligible forage land to meet their SCEP requirement to be eligible for payment in SCEP in 2025.”
For further insights on SCEP and the Dairy Beef Weighing Scheme, listen to the full episode of the Beef Edge podcast below:
Access the full terms and conditions for the Suckler Carbon Efficiency Programme here, which includes key details on eligible bull/AI requirements for 2025.