NFU urges hill farmers to use extension to HFA
NFU urges hill farmers to use extension to HFA
By Isabel Davies
HILL farmers are being urged to take advantage of the governments extended deadline to prove they are eligible for Hill Farm Allowance.
MAFF announced the deadline would be extended from mid-February to Feb 28 late last week.
The move followed intense lobbying from the NFU who had stressed that many farmers were confused by the letters they received last month.
Unopened letters
Sally Gibbins, NFU Less Favoured Areas policy adviser, welcomed the extra time especially as she was concerned an awful lot of letters were still lying on kitchen tables unopened.
The extension would also help in their efforts to find a way to draw a number of producers with sheep and a dairy herd back into the scheme, she said.
Despite MAFF agreeing that farmers may qualify for payment if they are also eligible for extensification, some producers were still falling below the minimum stocking density, she explained. The NFU is working to convince MAFF they are genuine producers.
The letters, which went out to 3400 people, said according to the information MAFF had on its computer system, they were below the minimum stocking density of 0.15 livestock units a hectare.
Farmers have been asked for additional information relevant to possible claims – including any extra stock kept on the farm and agri-environment agreements.
lWilliam Jenkins who farms in Monmouthshire has replaced Peter Allen as chairman of the NFUs Less Favoured Areas committee. *