CAP reform continues to shut out small SFPs

Farmers with very small Single Farm Payments (SFP) have been shut out of the Basic Payment Scheme, which replaces the SFP this year.

Agriculture Minister Simon Coveney has confirmed that there is a “small group” of farmers in this situation, and he has raised the issue with the EU Commission, requesting flexibility in applying the Scottish Derogation, so as to include them.

He explained that the EU Regulations governing the Single Payment Scheme and the incoming Basic Payment Scheme prohibit the issuing of payment to any person whose total direct payment in a given year is less than €100.

He was responding in the Dail to Kerry South Fine Gael TD Brendan Griffin, who raised the case of a Co Kerry landowner who established 12.26 entitlements under the Single Payment Scheme, valued at €7.96 each, giving a total value of €97.59.

Because the annual payment is less than €100, the landowner was not eligible to receive a direct payment in any year under the Single Payment Scheme, including 2013.

Consequently he does not hold an automatic right to establish new entitlements under the Basic Payment Scheme in 2015.

In addition, as he did hold entitlements under the Single Payment Scheme, he is not eligible for an allocation of entitlements under the Scottish Derogation.

Mr Coveney said, “To date, the EU Commission has given no flexibility in this regard, however, my Department is continuing to communicate with the Commission to find a resolution to this issue.”