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Despite concerns that form fillers and farmers will not be able to meet the 15 May deadline for completing the 2020 single application process, Agriculture minister Edwin Poots has confirmed that the date remains unchanged.
However, he has extended the date by which changes can be made to land area without penalty from 31 May to 9 June.
Urging farmers to get on with completing their applications, the minister pointed out that if the 15 May deadline was extended to 15 June (as in other EU member states) it would inevitably delay when payments could be made. At present, NI is the only part of the UK or EU on track to make full payments to farmers from 16 October 2020.
However, with DAERA offices shut for face-to-face appointments, some farmers self-isolating, and form fillers only contactable by phone or email, getting forms completed on time will be a challenge this year, never mind the slow internet speeds in many rural areas.
To assist farmers, DAERA has an enhanced telephony advisory service now operational (0300 200 7848) or farmers can email: areabasedschemes@daera-ni.gov.uk.
Crop diversification
Minister Poots has also confirmed a derogation from crop diversification requirements for the 2020 scheme year due to the wet autumn and winter which made it difficult to get crops planted. The requirement is normally part of greening rules, and only applicable to larger arable growers in NI.
Inspections
Meanwhile, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, all routine farm inspections will be paused in NI, until 30 April 2020 at the earliest, DAERA has confirmed.
It means that all inspection work related to various DAERA schemes will stop, outside of any inspections related to suspect breaches of the law relating to public or animal health, or pollution of the environment.
DAERA will also continue to investigate any suspect animal disease outbreaks such as brucellosis or avian influenza, and undertake environmental farming scheme (EFS) inspections.
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