Demand grows for SFP advice
Most of our land is rented from several different landlords who are all now claiming the entitlements themselves, so that they will get the area payment. If we only establish entitlement on the 18 acres we own, by activating these 18 acres will we get all our historic payments? We want to make sure we get all the historic payments due to us while they last.
It is possible to “stack” historic entitlements onto a smaller area of land than was farmed during the reference period (2000-2002). But these payments will rapidly diminish as the historic element of the SFP is replaced by the area payment until 2012 when they disappear.
How do I concentrate all of my historic element of the single payment onto a reduced proportion of the land that I currently farm so that I can benefit from all of it when I retire onto that reduced proportion in a couple of years time?
The number of entitlements created in 2005 is determined by the land area declared for establishment of entitlements. Therefore, if a holding has shrunk since the reference period its historic entitlements will automatically be spread over the smaller area.
But it is possible to “stack” entitlements even if the land area has not changed. Enter the area in datasheet Columns I and J only for the fields that you plan to keep after retirement, for the others enter zero. All your historic payments will now be concentrated on to those fields. (You must still complete the rest of the columns for all land under your control on May 16, 2005)
If the historic element is purely arable, then there is no limit to the amount of “stacking” that can occur. But beware if the history is “polluted” by one of the Article 47 sheep, beef or dairy schemes as this places a €
Above this level, applicants can elect to be awarded entitlements subject to special conditions, but these carry with them a requirement for 50% production.
Also bear in mind that once entitlements have been created after May 16, 2005, the historic and regional elements cannot be separated. This means you will not get no payments at all on the fields you chose not to establish and claim entitlements on in Columns I and J. Also note the diminishing value of historic entitlements mentioned in the previous question.
We are in the process of buying some land from a neighbouring farmer. We have paid the deposit and hope to complete on Apr 6. He has told us he is claiming the historic element relating to the land but can we still include the land on our SP5 and establish entitlements so as to claim the area-based payment?
Unless a private contract clause has been included in a sale, the vendor will automatically “stack” his historic entitlements on his retained land. But as long as the land is under your control by May 16 you can establish area entitlements.
To actually get paid in 2005, you must be in occupation by Apr 30 (the last date for the 10-month occupation period).
Where supporting evidence is required in the private contracts clause section of the form, must the documents be originals?
No, according to the Rural Payments Agency in its latest supplementary information. Unless the case is due to probate, applicants may supply self-certified copies.
In Column N of the field datasheets what code do I use for Countryside Stewardship grass margins? As I see it, they are temporary, neither P (permanent) nor R (rotational).
Permanent. The question only refers to the positioning of the strips during the lifetime of CSS and other specific environmental agreements.
Our farm is in the pilot Entry Level scheme. Do we have to put a P in Column N for every field in the scheme or just the grass fields which are permanent grass?
It is not necessary to complete the box where the only environmental measures in a field are for Entry Level.
On land registered for the SFP, can I still hold organised motorcycle events on my land?
New guidance from the RPA has clarified the situation for non-agricultural use. Activities such as bird watching, walking and farm visits, which do not affect agricultural operations, will be allowed without restriction during the 10-month period. A 28-day limit has been applied to more involved activities, like country fares and clay pigeon shooting, but motor sports and recreational uses like golf course are not considered compatible.
However, if the activity only affects part of a field it is possible to claim on the rest. The RPA suggests anybody in doubt about a particular activity should get in touch with their payment agency.
Is there a problem using the default 10-month period in question 5 of the SP5 form?
The default period suggested by DEFRA is Feb 1 to Nov 30. Farmers should take great caution with the 10-month period as they cannot be overlapped down the line and thus starting with a late 10-month period in 2005 could cause future problems.
For a purely combinable crop business the obvious choice is Oct 1 to July 31, which synchronises nicely with the cropping cycle. It also avoids straddling the traditional Michaelmas tenancy period when land is usually given up and taken on.
And at the moment only one start date is allowed per claim in England. So if a farmer takes on a piece of land with a different 10-month period there could be a problem in getting them to “sync”. This would mean a loss of payment for one party in one year on some of the land.