Third beef date announced

BEEF PRODUCERS have been advised that the third check date for the 2004 extensification scheme for May/June is May 22.

The Rural Payments Agency will write to farmers to ask them to declare the number of cattle from six months old that were on their holding for the first three dates.

The first and second check dates were Feb 27 and Apr 25.

Payments are worth £27.09 a head for stocking densities between 1.4 and 1.8 livestock units/ha, and £54.17 a head at less than 1.4LU/ha (after 3.5% modulation).