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News: June 2016

Date posted: 09/06/16

THE NORTHERN FARMERS AND LANDOWNERS GROUP (NFLG) IS SHOCKED TO HEAR OF THE 2015 BPS PAYMENT EXTENSION.

 

The news that the European Commission is to allow Member States to extend the payment window for 2015 Basic Payment Scheme until October 15th has been greeted with shock by NFLG.

Angus Collingwood-Cameron, Lead Consultant for NFLG, said “I was very worried when the RPA made 50% interim payments. It had always avoided doing this in the past, saying that it would only further delay complete payments. Doing it for the 2015 payments suggested that the RPA was in chaos. Now it looks as if the EU is to let it off the hook by extending the payment window by a mind boggling 15 weeks!

This is a real kick in the teeth for those farmers still waiting for half their payment for last year while still struggling with very poor prices in every farm sector. They had the belief that they would be paid by the end of June or else Defra would be fined, which provides some incentive to sort things out. This is no longer the case and many will despair at this news. I fear that it is wishful thinking to expect the Secretary of State to concentrate on her day job and resolve this payment issue for so many farmers in our region.”

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