With the re-allocation of Welsh Basic Payment Entitlements for 2015 for the new Scheme, there is the opportunity to apply for an application of entitlements to the National Reserve which will open on the 3 November 2014.
Carys Williams of Rostons comments, “You can apply to the National Reserve if you are a young farmer, a new entrant to agriculture or have experience of force majeure event or exceptional circumstances resulting in failure to activate entitlements in 2013.”
It is possible to apply to both young farmer and new entrants but you will only be awarded entitlements from one of these categories. The definitions and rules for the following categories are as follows:
- Young Farmer
You need to be less than 40 in the year you apply for the Basic Payment Scheme. The rules state that you must have started farming in your own right as a head of a new holding in the 5 years before submitting an application.
- New Entrant to Agriculture
This category is available to farmers who started farming in their own right in the 2 years before submitting an application for the Basic Payment Scheme, i.e. since January 2013.
- Force Majeure Event/Exceptional Circumstances
If you were unable to activate at least one SPS entitlement in 2013, you may qualify for this category. More details of this are expected shortly.
- In addition to the above there is also an application for those who were farming in 2013, but have never held Single Payment Entitlements in any EC member state. In addition to this you can also apply if you did not receive a 2013 SPS payment, but can prove on the 15 May 2013 you were producing at least 5 hectares of:
- Fruits
- Vegetables
- Ware potatoes
- Seed potatoes
- Ornamental plants
Also, if you were cultivating vineyards there is a route for application.
The application for entitlements for any of these routes is through the National Reserve Application Form. This can be done online using the Rural Payments Wales System.
Alternatively, there is a paper copy of this application available from the Customer Contact Centre with the Welsh Assembly.
It is recommended that early applications are made to ensure that in principle decisions are available from March 2015.
If you require any additional information on the above, then please do contact one of the Team who will be happy to help on 01829 773000.