Sheep premium claims less painful

By Farmers Weekly staff

COMPLETION of Sheep Annual Premium Scheme claims and the transfer of quota in Scotland should now be easier, the Scottish NFU believes, after changes to the schemes administration.

The changes apply to businesses recognised as partnerships as well as more formally constituted firms.

Previously, these businesses applied under the SAPS as a “producer group” to avoid any disadvantage by the introduction of individual SAPS headage limits.

Although headage limits were abolished in 1995, Scottish partnerships continued, until now, to claim SAPS money as producer groups.

It now intends that Scottish partnerships should be recognised as a “sole producer” rather than a producer group.

The decision to change the system should end the accompanying bureaucracy, such as having to provide details of individual partners, their quota, and their share of the flock.

It should also ease claim-checking procedures.