GROWERS WHO applied for horticultural authorisations on their single farm payment application form may be eligible for a top up to the number of authorisations they can receive.

The Rural Payments Agency has said this applies if the area of the relevant horticultural crops that they grew in 2003 was not typical of their business for a number of reasons.

The reasons are:

• Force majeure or exceptional circumstances


• Participation in a qualifying agri-environment scheme


• Acquisition of additional land


• The undertaking of an investment programme to extend production

A spokesman for the agency said it was a tidying up exercise as the agency was not sure that farmers had understood that force majeure or exceptional circumstances also applied to horticultural authorisations.

To apply for additional authorisations, growers must complete form SP10, which can be obtained by calling the RPA Customer Service Centre on 0845 603 7777.

Copies will also be available from the RPA website shortly (www.rpa.gov.uk).

Completed forms together with supporting documentation must be returned to RPA by the deadline of Jun 31 2005.