Single Payment: Things to look out for
- 1 Mar 2008
The green forms will be arriving soon....
- All farmers should now have received an entitlement statement for their 2007 SPS claim, and many will have a payment statement as well. If you have not received these please let us know, we may be able to help. However modulation has been levied at 17%, although of course this could be refunded to you as in previous years.
- In Brussels there is further SPS debate, including modulating businesses in future years according to the size of the claim, with careful attention being paid to those who plan to split their businesses to avoid higher rates of modulation.
- Another proposal is to increase the number of hectares needed in order to be classified as a farmer (currently 2 ha). This should be watched carefully as some successful agricultural enterprises operate from a relatively small area.
- In January the French took over the EU Presidency, which will make for interesting viewing on agricultural policy matters, as they would like policy to stay as it is until 2013 (and probably even longer).
- The ten month rule has been abolished, and now we have a one day rule! The day in question is the 15th of May. This raises questions with some contractual agreements, but should not be too much of a problem.
- Set aside has gone… for now. But what have you done with your old set aside land (ELS and HLS options placed on SAS margins and strips, storage for manure, grazing/fodder). Will you be using your set aside entitlements this year? Remember, Set Aside may well be back for next sowing season!
Any day now the green forms will be arriving on your doorstep – have you checked your entitlement value and the number awarded to you? Have you excess entitlements that are nearly at their ‘use by date’? Do you need to plough up permanent pasture and need to carry out an Environmental Impact Assessment to change the use from PP1 to OT1? Please contact the rural team for practical help and advice.
2005 SPS Application: Always keep a copy of your 2005 Single Payment Form available. This confirms the original amount of entitlements you applied for, and forms the basis of your SPS history with RPA. We are still battling with RPA over 2005 forms that were not processed properly, and payments and entitlements are outstanding. This has a knock on effect on the 2006, 2007 and 2008 forms.
Associated Books: You should have all the books that RPA have sent you over the last three years. These will be Cross Compliance books, Soil Management and Habitat Management Books, Set Aside books and all the related updates. Most importantly you should have the Soil Protection Review.
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