Green light for agrimoney aid

8 February 2001



Green light for agrimoney aid

By FWi staff

THE European Commission has given the go-ahead for the government to pay 34 million to compensate arable farmers for unfavourable currency fluctuations.

The compensation was an exceptional response to very difficult trading conditions, said agriculture minister Nick Brown on Thursday (8 February).

Farmers in the arable area payment scheme for 2000 will begin receiving the money in a fortnight, according to a Ministry of Agriculture statement.

Hops payments will begin “shortly”, while flax and hemp growers will receive the compensation with regular subsidy payments, it said.

The compensation is to offset the effect on direct payments of the weak Euro against the Pound since July 1999.