Resolving SFP questions

JUNIOR DEFRA minister Lord Whitty has pledged to resolve the outstanding anomalies in England”s proposed single payment scheme.

Lord Whitty was responding to criticisms of the government”s approach to CAP reform from farmers and politicians at the farmers weekly Farmers Forum Question Time.

The minister said that 11 remaining questions on the payment scheme would be resolved by January 2005 and blamed the delays on the EU”s failure to respond to DEFRA”s queries.

The main criticism was delivered by a producer who farms on the South Downs in Sussex. He said he faces ploughing up 8% of the pasture he has sown under an environmental scheme to meet the set-aside requirements under CAP reform.