Archive Article: 2002/09/06

6 September 2002

Mapping could cause IACS aid delays

Dont panic. Thats the response from the Rural Payments Agency following reports that its scheme to digitally map every field in the UK could be worryingly inaccurate.

But future IACS payments depend on the accuracy of the maps. With a 28-day deadline to notify the RPA of any mistakes, producers struggling to end harvest are right to be worried.

The organisation says there is plenty of time to resolve problems. However, given its track record on late subsidy payments and with cereal values at all-time lows, even the slightest risk of losing out on next seasons IACS money is enough to give farmers sleepless nights.