FARMERS CLAIMING the new proteins premium or aid for energy crops have been warned they may not get the money at the same time as their Arable Area Payments.

The Rural Payments Agency started sending out AAPs on Tuesday (Nov 16), but the agency has confirmed that the payments for the two other schemes cannot start until Dec 1.

This means if a farmer gets his main IACS payment before the end of November it will not include the protein premium or money for the energy crops scheme.

This money will be sent once DEFRA has calculated whether there needs to be any scaleback because the EU’s Maximum Guaranteed Area has been exceeded.