Farmers flock to department offices as single payment deadline approaches

FARMERS have been flocking to Department of Agriculture and Food offices countrywide over the weekend with application forms for the new European Union single payment.

A final surge of claimants is expected today, ahead of tonight’s midnight deadline, which was legally set by the EU.

Some 110,000 application forms had been received in the Department of Agriculture and Food by Friday evening, leaving a further 50,000 to be returned. Thousands more forms are believed to be in the post for opening and sorting today.