More SFP info on the way
By Andrew Shirley
MUCH-NEEDED information to help complete English farmers” single farm payment claims will be hitting doormats soon, but farm consultants say some issues still remain unclear.
An update to the guidance notes for the SP5 form was issued by the Rural Payments Agency this week and will be sent to all farmers claiming SFP. It includes clarification of some common queries, including correct crop codes to use for set-aside.
Alastair Fitzgerald, who farms 400ha (1000-acres) of arable land in Wilts, said the extra information would be welcome. “We”ve filled in our form with pencil and are waiting to see what the latest guidance looks like. I think we are largely on top of things, but they seem to be changing their minds all the time.”
Greg Bliss, who rents 1200 acres of land near Peterborough, said he had already completed his form and had not found it too onerous. But had taken advice from the Tenant Farmers” Association, a local consultant and farmers” meetings.
Francis Mordaunt of consultant Andersons said: “We can now complete most of our clients” forms, but there are some fundamental questions that have yet to be answered.” These included who would actually own entitlements where, for example, land was farmed by two companies, but DEFRA said only one claim should be submitted.
Aubourn”s Philip Wynn said: “It is only a matter of weeks before the deadline and we are still looking for clarification.” Mr Wynn said it was still not clear whether footpaths across arable fields had to be deducted from field areas on the field datasheets.
Part of the problem, he added, was that conflicting advice was being issued by the RPA”s phone helpline. Mr Mordaunt agreed and said he knew of farmers who had each been told to use a different code for their set-aside.
In Suffolk, Chris Leney of Robinson & Hall”s Ipswich office said where doubt still existed he was making “fair assumptions” and backing those up in detail in a covering letter included with the form. “We have given up hope of contacting the RPA.”