SFP form error warning

THE WELSH Assembly has warned farmers to be more careful when completing their single farm payment application forms or risk losing their entitlements.

“Completed Single Application Forms (SAFs) already received indicate that farmers are making a number of common errors,” an assembly bulletin claims.

“Some are failing to cross the appropriate boxes in section 2 of the SAF to establish their entitlements.”

Farmers who fail to establish their entitlements could lose the right to claim in 2005 and future years as their entitlements will be entered into the National Reserve and re-allocated to other farmers.

The bulletin also says that some applicants have neglected to cross boxes in sections 11 and 12 to indicate which parcels of land they wish to use to claim payment on the entitlements.

“Farmers are reminded that they must do this in order to claim the single payment.”

While staff at divisional offices wanted to continue to help and support farmers, they were not able to sit down with individuals and go through the whole scheme and how to fill out the SAF.

With the deadline for returning the forms set for May 16, the bulletin urges farmers who plan to seek help at their divisional office to read the documents they have been sent, to check the pre-printed details on their SAFs and to write down a list of queries they have.