Thousands of farmers who were not part of the Single Farm Payment Scheme have applied to receive entitlements under the new Basic Payment Scheme.
The Direct Payment Regulation includes the option for Member States to allocate payment entitlements to persons who never held entitlements under the Single Payment Scheme but who actively farmed in 2013. The provision is known as the Scottish Derogation.
The total number of applications received under the provision by the closing date of May 29 was 3,038.
In line with the support granted under all previous Pillar I schemes, this provision was only available to persons who undertook their agricultural activity within the beef, dairy, sheep or arable sectors.
Under the EU Regulations governing the provision, farmers applying under this measure were required to provide verifiable evidence of such production on May 15, 2013
“A number of active farmers did not establish entitlements under the Single Payment Scheme and consequently do not hold an Allocation Right for the purposes of establishing entitlements under the new Scheme,” the Minister of Agriculture Simon Coveney said.
“To exclude such farmers from the Basic Payment Scheme would place these farmers at a significant disadvantage. I am pleased that we can now cater for this group of farmers under the provision known as the Scottish Derogation,” he said.
The Regulation also allowed for the allocation of entitlements under the Basic Payment Scheme to farmers who do not hold an automatic Allocation Right but who grew fruit and/or vegetables in 2013 on a minimum area of one hectare, the Fruit and Vegetable Provision.
This Provision was only available to those who grew these products on a minimum of 1ha in 2013.