Crucial SFP decisions in Walsh’s last month

AGRICULTURE Minister Joe Walsh faces a momentous final month in office, with major decisions to make on the Single Payment National Reserve and consolidation of entitlements, before he steps down on September 29.

More than 122,000 farmers are currently receiving their Statements of Provisional Entitlements to the Single Payment, but it will be well into October before vital elements of the scheme, such as consolidation of entitlements, are finalised.

This week, landowners get their gross Single Payment figures, on which their direct EU payments for the next 10 years are based.