New rules as zero setaside introduced this autumn

UNDER new rules for 2008, farmers who plant on setaside land and who hold entitlements for this land will receive full payment on these entitlements.

For example, a farmer with 27 standard single payment entitlements and three setaside entitlements, who declares 30 hectares under arable and/or forage crops in his or her 2008 Single Payment application, will receive the full single payment in respect of 2008. Farmers who decide to setaside lands in 2008 will continue to receive their full setaside entitlements.

EU agriculture ministers have approved a Commission’s proposal to set the obligatory setaside rate for autumn 2007 and spring 2008 sowings at zero.