Single payment scheme: Land at your disposal
Following agreement at the EU Agriculture Council meeting on 21 January 2008, Jeff Rooker has announced that farmers will be required from the 2008 scheme year to have the land used to support their SPS claims at their disposal on just one day. In the UK, that day will be 15 May each scheme year. This replaces the previous requirement for farmers to have land at their disposal for a period of 10 months. A news release was issued on the 28th January 2008.
It is the SPS applicant who is responsible for making sure that cross compliance requirements are met for the whole calendar year. From 1 April 2008 this applies even if the applicant is not in occupation of the land for the entire year.
However, land is required to remain eligible throughout the scheme year (1 January – 31 December).
Further information is available on the RPA website.
Page published: 27 September 2007