This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
Listen
Revised agri-environment payment rates
09/05/2005
Revised payment rates for the agri-environment scheme
were announced today. Under the new revisions, 170 payment
rates have increased, 134 have gone down and 137 are
unchanged.
This follows a review of 441 payment rates to avoid
double funding between Single Farm Payments (SFP) and
agri-environment scheme commitments.
The effect on payments to individual farmers and
crofters will depend on the mix of measures in the
agri-environment scheme agreement. Based on current levels
of participation, annual expenditure will reduce by £3.9m.
Expenditure last year was £31m.
Farmers have until 16 May to ask for their SFP reference
amount to be reviewed if they think it has been adversely
affected by their participation in an agri-environment
scheme.
The review was necessary as a number of the
agri-environment scheme payment rates include an element to
compensate for Common Agricutural Policy subsidy foregone
as a result of undertaking the agri-environment scheme
management.
Subject to completing the necessary Parliamentary
process, the revised rates will come into operation later
this year.