More than 900 farmers are now believed to have been sent
inaccurate maps that threaten to leave them unable to claim
subsidies.
But the government agency responsible for sending out the maps
has insisted that
Single
Payments will not be jeopardised by the fiasco.
Tony Cooper, chief executive of the
Rural Payments
Agency, made the promise during an NFU Council meeting on
Tuesday (30 June).
Some farmers have been sent maps with parcels of land missing,
Mr Cooper admitted.
Others have received maps with inaccurate field boundaries and
features.
Mr Cooper said the issue of the inaccuracies was foremost in his
mind.
"It is a challenge, without a doubt," he told more than 60 NFU
delegates at Woodland Grange, Leamington Spa, Warwickshire.
Mr Cooper said he would do everything possible to ensure the
inaccuracies did not interfere with payments.
"The 2009 payments are very much a priority," he told Farmers
Weekly after the meeting.
"Quite clearly, we would look to implement whatever measures are
necessary to safeguard the 2010 scheme."
The agency sent out the maps as an update to the government's
Rural Land Register.
Agency officials are now contacting individual farmers so they
can amend inaccurate information before sending out revised
maps.
New maps with corrected information will be issued over the
summer.
Essex NFU delegate Guy Smith said he had received maps that
included hedges which were removed in the 1950s.
North Riding and Durham NFU delegate Richard Betton said
inaccuracies threatened to put some hill farmers in north-east
England out of business unless resolved.
Farmers who grazed livestock on unmapped commons would be unable
to apply for financial support unless those commons were mapped, he
warned.
"I don't think any of us are reassured that the agency has
learned its lessons based on our past experience," Mr Betton
said.
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