Tomorrow last day to amend SPS form
But if an amendment involves the inclusion of additional parcels, a 1% penalty will apply for each working day between June 1 and June 10 (the deadline for amendments was May 31.)
Farmers can make certain other amendments in writing after June 10, without penalty, such as the withdrawal of a land parcel that they are not farming, or the withdrawal of an aid application.
This applies if the Department has not notified the applicant of an irregularity in his or her application, or has not notified the applicant of its intention to undertake a ground inspection.
Agriculture and Food Minister Mary Coughlan said the enormity of the task of processing applications should not be underestimated, and she urged farmers to respond quickly to queries from her Department. Farmers were already being contacted to submit maps for new parcels (plots) in cases where they neglected to do so with their application forms.
She confirmed that the overwhelming majority of farmers had submitted their applications before the May 16 deadline.
For farmers who had yet to submit a Single Payment Scheme application, June 10 is also the final deadline.
Any farmer who has not submitted a completed application by June 10 will, except in cases of force majeure, lose their Single Payment Entitlement forever to the National Reserve. “It is, therefore, imperative that farmers who have not lodged a Single Payment Scheme application form, for whatever reason, do so by June 10, 2005”, said Minister Coughlan.
Single Payment Scheme applications received between May 17 and June 10 will be subject to a reduction in payment, except in cases of force majeure, of 4% for each working day after May 16.
But late applications will secure the Single Payment Entitlement for the future, and will not impact on future years’ applications, provided they are submitted on time.
Persons who wish to apply to activate their entitlements only, and are not applying for payment, can still do so up to June 10. These persons will have three years to utilise these entitlements.
Copies of all application and amendment forms are available from the Single Payment Unit, Local Offices of the Department, the www.agriculture.gov.ie website, or from TEAGASC. Completed forms may be lodged with any of the Department’s offices. The Single Payment Scheme Help line at 1890 200 566 remains open Monday to Friday from 8.30 am until 5.30pm.
