Last call for submission of sheep claims
Last call for submission of sheep claims
SHEEP producers have until next Wednesday (Feb 4) to get their claims for sheep annual premium and Hill Livestock Compensatory Allowances in to government offices.
Last week, MAFF reported that only one-third of expected applications had arrived, suggesting producers are leaving it to the last minute. But the danger of missing the deadline is that subsidies will then be scaled back – by 1% for each working day late. Forms returned after Mar 2 will not be accepted at all.
MAFF has also reminded claimants that they must notify local offices if their sheep are moved during the 100-day retention period to a location other than those listed on their claim forms.
Producers wishing to trade quota must submit transfer notification forms before Feb 4.
According to broker James Sheppard of Townsend Chartered Surveyors, leasing markets are now in short supply as producers delay making a decision on whether to lease out their quota or claim against it until the last minute. "This is only to be expected this year, as producers have been holding out in the hope of lamb and ewe prices improving." *