MAFF e-subsidies must be on-line
20 February 2001
MAFF e-subsidies must be on-line
By Donald MacPhail
FARMERS will have to go on-line to fill in electronic subsidy applications under new Ministry of Agriculture technology, developers have admitted.
At a briefing on Tuesday (20 February), the MAFF team confirmed that farmers would not be able to complete the form before going on-line to submit it.
Farmers will have this option from mid-March this year.
It is estimated that it could take one hour on the Internet to complete Integrated Administration and Control System (IACS) Area Aid forms.
Despite the implications of on-line form-filling for farmers telephone bills, MAFF e-forms project chairman Frank Whitehouse defended the decision.
The system will allow for detailed on-line help and meant forms would be “pre-populated” with earlier data and could be filled in faster, he said.
Software producers were devising their own systems which could take care of form-filling while not connected to the Internet, Mr Whitehouse added.
“We could give a pre-populated form and lots of on-line help filling the form. Or we could have given just the form, but not have advice available.”
The new system would ensure the Field Data Printout tallies with the form itself, eliminating a common error, said Mr Whitehouse.
If the form is not completed in a single sitting, completed parts will be saved. The date a form is electronically “signed” is taken as the date it is sent.
To ensure high security, users must obtain a “digital certificate” allowing them to enrol with the electronic IACS service on the Government Gateway.
In due course, they will be sent an ID number and can access their IACS data.
Digital certificates are available through Chambers of Commerce on presentation of photographic identity, and other outlets are being considered.
Supplementary documents, such as maps must still be submitted by post and there were no imminent plans to bring that on-line, said Mr Whitehouse.
Some 10,000 farmers out of 74,000 eligible have expressed an interest in using on-line IACS forms, according to MAFF estimates.
Mr Whitehouse said it was hoped to have all Common Agricultural Policy subsidy applications on-line by the end of next year.
- One-day turn-round for on-line claims, FWi, 07 February, 2001
- Minister urged to back e-commerce, FWi, 22 December, 1999