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Scottish Agriculture: A guide to Grants and Services: June 2003
GRANTS
Agriculture Processing and Marketing Grants
Grant schemes, which can provide assistance towards the processing and marketing of agricultural produce, were launched within the Highlands and Islands (as an element of the Highlands and Islands Special Transitional Programme) and Lowland Scotland in 2001. The aim of both schemes is to improve structural deficiencies and in so doing attempt to guarantee lasting economic benefits to farmers and growers. The schemes include a capital element for assistance towards the purchase of plant and equipment and a non capital element which can assist with a range of projects including market research and consultancy, product development, point of sale material and attendance at trade fairs.
CONTACT & INFORMATION -
Lowland Scotland Scheme: SEERAD, Room 259, Pentland House, 47 Robb's Loan, Edinburgh, EH14 1TY, Tel: 0131 244 6388/6389 or
Highlands & Islands Scheme: Scheme Project Co-ordinator, Longman House, 28 Longman Road, Inverness, IV1 1SF, Tel: 01463 253 065.
Agricultural Business Development Scheme (ABDS)
The ABDS is a business development scheme for farmers/crofters and their immediate families. It operates under the Highlands and Islands Special Transitional Programme within the legal framework of the Rural Development Regulation.
The ABDS can provide assistance towards investments in agricultural holdings and the development of new, or the expansion of, existing agricultural or non-agricultural diversification enterprises, either on or off-farm/croft, to increase the income-generating capacity of the farming family. The scheme is discretionary with all applications being subject to a selection process - reviewed in funding tranches by Project Assessment Committees.
Legal occupiers of agricultural units within the Highlands and Islands Special Transitional Programme Area who have been actively engaged in agriculture for a minimum of two years are eligible to apply to the Scheme for both investments in agricultural holdings and diversification projects.
CONTACT & INFORMATION - local SEERAD Area Offices or Scheme Co-ordinator, Longman House, 28 Longman Road, Inverness, IV1 1SF, Tel: 01463 253 065 or visit the Scottish Executive's website at
www.scotland.gov.uk/library3/agri/1abds-00.asp
Appeals Procedure for EU Agricultural Subsidy Schemes
The appeals procedure covers schemes under the Integrated Administration and Control System (IACS), as well as agri-environment and afforestation schemes administered by SEERAD. Decisions made on quota arrangements for the Sheep Annual Premium Scheme (SAPS) and Suckler Cow Premium Scheme (SCPS) are also considered.
The procedure is intended to ensure that farmers who feel that SEERAD did not reach the correct decision on their subsidy claim have access to a fair and independent appeals mechanism. Farmers have 60 calendar days from the date of the SEERAD decision letter in which to submit an appeal under the procedure. The procedure has three stages: an in-house review, an external panel review and an appeal to the Scottish Land Court. (In quota cases an appeal to the Scottish Land Court will not be available until the existing legislation has been updated. The current arrangement of seeking a judicial review of decisions will remain until that point.)
CONTACT & INFORMATION - local SEERAD Area Offices, or from the Appeals Secretariat, Room 028, Pentland House, 47 Robb's Loan, Edinburgh, EH14 1TY, Tel: 0131 244 6578.
Arable Area Payments Scheme (AAPS)
The AAPS is a voluntary scheme that offers area payments on eligible land to growers of cereals, linseed, oilseeds, protein crops, flax and hemp. With the exception of proteins, all crops are paid at the same rate taking account of regional yields. The two yield regions in Scotland comprise land classified as being in the Less-Favoured Area (LFA) and land not so classified, i.e. the non-LFA.
In order to qualify for full payment, all producers growing crops on an area of land greater than that required to produce more than 92 tonnes of crop - based on reference yields of 5.21 t/ha and 5.67 t/ha in the LFA and non-LFA respectively - must set aside at least the obligatory rate of set-aside. This is 10% for the year 2003. There is no obligation on small producers to set aside land, but they may do so on a voluntary basis. All producers will receive payments at the appropriate rate for the crops on which they submit a valid claim.
Compensation is also paid for the land set aside. Management conditions apply to the set-aside land to protect the environment. Set-aside land may be used for the production of specified non-food crops for industrial processing, under a contract with the first processor or "collector" of the crop.
The penalty-free deadline for claims for AAPS in respect of crops grown for harvest in 2003 was 15 May. Claims received after that date incurred a 1% penalty for each working day beyond 15 May up to 9 June. Claims received after that date will be rejected. The 2003 claim form is part of the full annual statement on land farmed which is required under the EU Integrated Administration and Control System (IACS).
CONTACT & INFORMATION - local SEERAD Area Offices or visit the Scottish Executive's website at
www.scotland.gov.uk/library3/agri/aaps02-00.asp
Beef Special Premium Scheme (BSPS)
Only male cattle are eligible for premium, and the claimed animals must be retained on the applicant's holding for two months from the day after the Department receives the application, unless specified as a later date on the claim form.
Premium can be claimed
twice in the life of a steer (castrated male):
Premium may only be claimed
once in the life of a bull (non-castrated male):
Up to 20 claims can be made per scheme year, with any combination of first, second or bull premium.
To be eligible for payments under the 2003 BSPS, an IACS Area Aid Application (AAA) must have been submitted by the closing date of 15 May 2003 (with exceptions for small producers). The amount of BSP payable is limited by the stocking density calculated as Livestock Units (LUs) per hectare of forage area declared on your AAA 2003 form. The stocking density limit for 2003 is 1.8 LUs per hectare of validated forage area.
In the UK, bull and first premium is restricted to 1,461,978 animals in any one scheme year. If this number is exceeded, the payment for each animal is reduced proportionately. Producers who claim 30 animals or less will be exempt from any reduction.
Premium is paid at the rate of €150 (approx. 93) for steers and €210 (approx. 130) for bulls. These sterling equivalents are based on the average rate of exchange over December 2002 (€1=0.642116).
CONTACT & INFORMATION - local SEERAD Area Offices or visit the Scottish Executive's website at
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/library5/agri/bsps-01.asp (See also the entry on Extensification Payment Scheme elsewhere in this Guide).)
Building Grants and Loans (Crofters)
Under the Crofters etc Building Grants and Loans Scheme (CBGLS), the following assistance is available to crofters and cottars in the former Crofting Counties:
CONTACT & INFORMATION - local SEERAD Area Office or Crofting Branch, SEERAD, Area 1D, Pentland House, 47 Robb's Loan, Edinburgh, EH14 1TY, Tel: 0131 244 6210/6216 or visit the Scottish Executive's website at
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/library5/agri/cbglsguide.pdf
Croft Entrant Scheme
There are nine Croft Entrant Schemes in operation, covering parts of the Western Isles, Skye and Lochalsh, North West Sutherland, Lochaber, Shetland, Ross and Cromarty, Argyll, Orkney and Badenoch and Strathspey.
The purpose of the Scheme is to:
identify suitable young entrants into crofting;
facilitate the entry of suitable young entrants into crofting;
assist young entrants to become established in crofting by way of financial support, advice and guidance; and
make crofts available by encouraging outgoing crofters to release their crofts to suitable young entrants.
CONTACT & INFORMATION - Crofters Commission, Castle Wynd, Inverness, IV2 3EQ, Tel: 01463 663 450 or visit
www.crofterscommission.org.uk
Alternatively, contact the relevant Local Enterprise Company direct.
Crofting Community Development Scheme
The Crofting Community Development Scheme aims to encourage crofting communities to:
improve the quality and the marketing of their agriculture output without increasing the level of production;
establish communication links and management structures within the crofting communities;
diversify and broaden local crofting communities;
adopt beneficial local environment measures;
identify and implement local social and cultural projects;
prepare and implement suitable local training programmes;
use information technology.
An incentive payment up to a maximum of 7,000 will be paid to communities with plans meeting the eligibility criteria.
CONTACT & INFORMATION - Crofters Commission,
Castle Wynd, Inverness, IV2 3EQ, Tel: 01463 663 450 or visit
www.crofterscommission. org.uk or from Arthur Macdonald, Scheme Manager, c/o Upper Leachkin, Inverness, IV3 6PN, Tel: 01463 711 702.
Crofting Counties Agricultural Grants (Scotland) Scheme
Grants covering a wide range of agricultural activities are available to the following persons in the former Crofting Counties:
tenants and legal sub-tenants of crofts, and owners occupying unlet crofts who are of the same economic status as crofters;
Common Grazings Committees and Grazings Constables where all the work relates to the Common Grazings;
occupiers of holdings other than crofts, the area of which does not substantially exceed 30 hectares (excluding common pasture) or where the annual rent would not substantially exceed 100 if the holding were let as a croft. In addition, the occupier must be of the same economic status as a crofter.
CONTACT & INFORMATION - local SEERAD Area Office or Crofters Commission, Castle Wynd, Inverness, IV2 3EQ, Tel: 01463 663 450 or visit
www.crofterscommission.org.uk
Extensification Payment Scheme (EPS)
Producers receiving Beef Special Premium and/or Suckler Cow Premium for 2003 can apply to receive extensification payment under the EPS. To participate in the EPS, they are required to submit an IACS Area Aid Application (AAA) 2003 indicating their intention to claim extensification and giving details of all their forage area.
Within the EPS, there are two sub-schemes, the
simplified scheme and the
standard scheme. A producer can only choose one scheme for the duration of the scheme year. For both schemes there are two stocking density bands - below 1.4 LU/hectare, and below or equal to 1.8 LU/hectare.
Simplified scheme claimants must keep the stocking density level on their holding either below 1.4 LU/hectare or below or equal to 1.8 LU/hectare throughout the entire calendar year and claimants must choose one or other of these stocking density levels.
Standard scheme claimants must keep their
average stocking density for the year either below 1.4 LU/hectare, or below or equal to 1.8 LU/hectare. Claimants are required to inform the Department of the total number of cattle (over 6 months old) on their holding at six dates in the year. This information is used to calculate the number of LUs on the holding on each of the six check dates and these are then averaged to calculate the overall stocking density of the holding for the year. These dates are chosen at random and will change from year to year. They will be announced in the farming press, although not until after they have passed.
Payment rates under the EPS 2003 are €80 (approx. 49.57) per eligible animal for stocking density levels below 1.4 LU/hectare, and €40 (approx. 24.78) per eligible animal for stocking density levels less than or equal to 1.8 LU/hectare. These sterling equivalents are based on the average rate of exchange over December 2002 (€1=0.642116).
CONTACT & INFORMATION - local SEERAD Area Offices or the Scottish Executive's website at
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/library5/agri/eps03-00.asp (See also the entry on Beef Special Premium Scheme elsewhere in this Guide.)
Farm Business Development Scheme (FBDS)
The FBDS is an innovative business scheme for farmers and their immediate families. The main purpose of FBDS is to encourage the creation of new or extending diversification activities undertaken on or off farm. The Scheme was launched in 2001 and operates within the legal framework of the Rural Development Regulation in all parts of Scotland outwith the area covered by the Highlands and Islands Special Transitional Programme. FBDS is discretionary, competitive and cash limited.
All legal occupiers of agricultural units within Lowland Scotland who have been actively engaged in agriculture for a minimum of two years are eligible to apply for financial assistance under the scheme. Immediate family members, resident on or adjacent to the agricultural unit, are also eligible to apply if they are acting with the legal occupiers' consent. Collaborative projects may also be considered from groups of three or more eligible applicants, each linked to a separate eligible agricultural business.
FBDS applications are considered in funding tranches by a Project Assessment Committee (PAC), which will meet around four times per year. The maximum possible grant linked to an eligible agricultural business is 25,000 or 30,000 for a collaborative project.
Decisions on individual projects will take account of priority for the business, local strategies, market and economic needs and also the availability of funding. The PAC may, however, decline to recommend approval of an application, or offer a lower amount of grant.
CONTACT & INFORMATION - SEERAD, FBDS team, Area 1E, Pentland House, 47 Robb's Loan, Edinburgh, EH14 1TY, Tel: 0131 244 6167.
Grain Legumes Scheme (GLS)
GLS covers a limited variety of grain legumes, i.e. chickpeas, lentils and vetches, with the aim of encouraging their continued production in the European Community's economic interest. Chickpeas and lentils are normally grown for human consumption and vetches for animal feed. These crops can also be grown to produce seed for sowing. However, under the scheme, there is no stipulated end use other than the crops must be harvested as dried seed.
The GLS comes under the Integrated Administration and Control System (IACS), with the application for aid being contained in form IACS(2). The deadline for receipt of applications is 15 May each year. Penalties for late submissions are set out in Annex 2 of the Explanatory Booklet, IACS(1).
A harvest declaration must be returned to SEERAD by 1 November. Payment is made per hectare, for the marketing year which runs from 1 July to 30 June. Applicants cannot claim under both the GLS and the Seed Production Aid Scheme.
CONTACT & INFORMATION - local SEERAD Area Offices or visit
www.scotland.gov.uk/library3/environment/iacs1.pdf
Integrated Administration and Control System (IACS)
IACS was introduced in 1993 as part of the reform of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). IACS has established a system of controls to combat fraud in the CAP arable and livestock schemes. It applies in all EU Member States and incorporates:
a unique identification system for fields and animals;
the requirement (in order to be eligible for aid under the relevant subsidy schemes) for farmers to submit an Area Aid Application (AAA), by 15 May each year, about the land which they farm; and
an integrated system of checks and inspections, and a uniform system of penalties for late or inaccurate aid applications.
In 2003, the following schemes are under the IACS umbrella:
the 2003 Arable Area Payments Scheme (AAPS);
the 2003 Beef Special Premium Scheme (BSPS);
the 2003 Suckler Cow Premium Scheme (SCPS);
the 2004 Less Favoured Areas Support Scheme (LFASS 2004);
the 2003 Sheep Annual Premium Schemes (SAPS);
the 2003 Extensification Payment Scheme (EPS);
the Grain Legumes Scheme (GLS); and
the Hops Income Aid.
Farmers must comply with all the IACS and relevant scheme rules to be eligible for subsidies when applying to any of these schemes.
CONTACT & INFORMATION - local SEERAD Area Offices or visit
www.scotland.gov.uk/about/agriculture
Less Favoured Areas Support Scheme (LFASS)
Under the terms of the Scottish Rural Development Plan, LFASS is a key contribution to the twin priorities of: assisting the viability and sustainability of Scottish Agriculture; and, encouraging farming practice which will contribute to the economic, social and environmental sustainability of Scotland's rural areas. The scheme is designed to support producers in the Less Favoured Areas who are amongst the most vulnerable in the Scottish agricultural sector, with fewer opportunities for diversification, operating in remoter areas and farming on land that is primarily suitable for extensive livestock production.
Claiming for LFASS is part of the process of completing an Area Aid Application (AAA) form. There is no separate application.
To claim LFASS, applicants must:
be at least 16 years of age;
farm at least three hectares of eligible forage land in the Scottish Less Favoured Area; and
comply with SEERAD's Good Farming Practice Guidelines.
Applicants must also carry out an eligible agricultural activity, that is, to maintain;
suckler cows forming part of a regular breeding herd for the rearing of calves for meat;
a flock of sheep that meets the definition of eligibility for the Sheep Annual Premium Scheme;
a dairy herd in the ring-fenced quota areas;
a farmed deer breeding herd; or
a herd of goats or alpaca for fibre production.
The principle behind the scheme is to identify eligible hectares according to designated grazing categories. This is followed by, if appropriate, adjustments to account for minimum or maximum stocking density restrictions, and the influence of cattle on the holding. Having arrived at a number of hectares, payment is made at a rate reflecting the degree of fragility of the area in which the main holding is situated. Under LFASS 2003 these rates are: Very Fragile (Islands) 44.50 per ha; Fragile 42.50 per ha; and, Standard 36.50 per ha.
CONTACT & INFORMATION - local SEERAD Area Offices or from Hill Farming and Livestock Subsidies Branch, CAP Management Division, SEERAD, Pentland House, 47 Robb's Loan, Edinburgh, EH14 1TY, Tel: 0131 244 6643.
Livestock Improvement Schemes (Crofters)
Various schemes exist for the improvement of certain classes of livestock within the former Crofting Counties. The schemes are administered on behalf of SEERAD by the Crofters Commission.
CONTACT & INFORMATION-Crofters Commission, Castle Wynd, Inverness, IV2 3EQ, Tel: 01463 663 413/457 or visit
www.crofterscommission.org.uk
Marketing Development Scheme
The Marketing Development Scheme aims to improve the efficiency of the UK marketing chain. This is done by helping farmers, growers and processors to improve their marketing and commercial expertise and develop efficient marketing structures for both domestic and overseas markets. Grant assistance at the rate of 50% and up to a maximum of 150,000 per project is available under the Scheme towards the cost of Feasibility Studies, the salaries of key marketing staff, training and fees of outside directors.
CONTACT & INFORMATION - SEERAD, Room 259, Pentland House, 47 Robb's Loan, Edinburgh, EH141TY, Tel: 0131 244 6294.
Nitrate Vulnerable Zones (NVZ) Grant Scheme
This scheme provides assistance for farmers within NVZs for the provision, replacement or improvement of their slurry and manure storage to meet the requirements of the NVZ Action Programme Regulations.
The grant scheme is voluntary and competitive, with the level of grant set at 40% for eligible work, subject to the condition that the grant does not in aggregate exceed 85,000. The Scheme is administered on a tranche basis. A key requirement of the scheme is the preparation of a Farm Waste Management Plan to demonstrate the need for assistance.
CONTACT & INFORMATION - local SEERAD Area Offices which cover areas that are affected by the NVZ designation.
Organic Aid Scheme (OAS)
This Scheme is part of the Scottish Rural Development Plan, and provides assistance to farmers and crofters who wish to convert to organic production.
To join the Scheme, farmers and crofters must enter into a binding agreement to convert all or part of their production to organic standards. The minimum area that can be entered is one hectare; the maximum area on which aid will be paid is 1,000 hectares. Participants in the OAS must at all times remain registered with an approved organic sector body and have a conversion plan that has been agreed by the sector body. Participants will be eligible for payment annually in arrears for five years for each hectare entered. To ensure that funding is being directed towards applications providing high environmental and marketing benefits, applications received since 2002 are subject to ranking arrangements.
CONTACT & INFORMATION - An explanatory leaflet (OAS1) and further information and advice are available from local SEERAD Area Offices.
Over Thirty Month Slaughter Scheme (OTMS)
The OTMS was set up in response to the BSE crisis in 1996. It provides for the purchase, by the Government, of bovine animals over 30 months of age at the date of slaughter, which have been resident in the UK for at least six months. Animals may be presented to the Scheme through approved collection centres; these can be either liveweight markets or contracted abattoirs. Casualty animals slaughtered on-farm may be presented through incinerators or rendering plants.
Producers must ensure that animals are presented with approved ear tags and documentary evidence that they are eligible. Cattle Passports are required for all animals. The Scheme is administered by the Rural Payments Agency (RPA). RPA makes the payment to the collection centre which passes the payment onto the producer, less any legitimate expenses previously agreed. There are three dedicated OTMS abattoirs in Scotland at Kilmarnock, Brechin and Orkney.
The Scheme is currently under review due to the continuing fall in cases of BSE and a decision on its future is expected towards the end of the Summer 2003.
CONTACT & INFORMATION - RPA helpline Tel: 0118 968 7333, or SEERAD helpline Tel: 0131 244 6408.
Rural Stewardship Scheme (RSS)
The RSS, which is part of the Scottish Rural Development Plan, came into operation in 2001. It provides assistance to encourage farmers and crofters to undertake positive conservation management measures and capital works in association with conservation management.
This Scheme is entirely voluntary and requires a prior Environmental Audit to be undertaken for the farm, croft or common grazing to be entered into the Scheme. The Audit will identify all habitats and features of conservation value on the unit and help applicants decide which areas will benefit most from the Scheme. Assistance is provided towards the cost of the Audit.
Participants undertake to join the Scheme for at least five years, but participation may be extended for a further five years to secure maximum conservation benefit. In addition, they must agree to manage the relevant areas of land and carry out the relevant capital works in line with the rules and conditions of the Scheme. Certain general environmental requirements (Standards of Good Farming Practice and General Environmental Conditions) also apply to the farm, croft or common grazing as a whole and not just those areas or features that are being positively managed under the RSS.
CONTACT & INFORMATION - local SEERAD Area Offices.
Scottish Forestry Grants Scheme (SFGS)
To meet the Scottish Executive's Scottish Forestry Strategy
"Forests for Scotland", the SFGS will provide grant aid to encourage the creation and management of woods and forests to provide economic, environmental and social benefits now and in the future. Grants are available under the following main areas:
Woodland expansion grants
To encourage the planting or natural regeneration of new woodlands you can apply for grants to carry out work that will meet one of the SFGS objectives shown below.
establishing well-designed productive woodland;
expanding areas of native woodland, preferably through natural regeneration and the development of Forest Habitat Networks;
improving riparian habitat;
improving urban or post-industrial areas; or
improving diversity of the farmed and crofting landscape.
Please note that there are permitted species and minimum stocking requirements for woodland expansion objectives. The Applicant's Booklet will give you more details.
Locational premiums
Locational premiums in the form of a top-up to the standard forestry grants for planting new woodlands are available for the following areas:
Ayrshire and Arran;
Central Scotland;
Grampian; and
Orkney and Shetland.
Stewardship grants
Eight stewardship grants are available for existing woodlands and where applicable may be available from the year of planting for:
improving timber quality;
reducing deer numbers;
native woodlands;
improving woodland biodiversity;
landscape improvement;
developing alternative systems to clear-felling;
woodland recreation; and
developing community involvement.
CONTACT & INFORMATION - Forestry Commission, 231 Corstorphine Road, Edinburgh, EH12 7AT, Tel: 0131 334 0303. An applicant's pack is available from local FC Conservancy offices. Full details can be found on the Forestry Commission website
www.forestry.gov.uk
Scottish Forestry Grant Scheme (SFGS) - Farmland Premium
This is a successor to the Farm Woodland Premium Scheme (FWPS) and is administered by SEERAD. It is designed to encourage the creation and management of woods and forests, to provide economic, environmental and social benefits for now and the future through the planting of trees on agricultural land.
Farmers and crofters joining the Farmland Premium can receive the annual payments as set out below:
Type of Land | Ha/year |
Arable/Improved in non Less Favoured Areas | 300 |
Arable/Improved in Disadvantaged Areas of Less Favoured Areas | 230 |
Arable/Improved in Severely Disadvantaged Areas of Less Favoured Areas | 160 |
Unimproved Land | 60 |
Where the land is to count against the farmer's set-aside obligation, the payment rate will be restricted to the set-aside rate.
Annual payments are made for 15 years for woodlands containing at least 60% of area by broadleaves. Provided that the percentage does not subsequently drop below 50% payments will be maintained for 15 years. Plans with less than 60% broadleaves planted will qualify for payments over 10 years.
There is an upper limit of 200 hectares per farm business and planting on unimproved land must not exceed 40 hectares. The Farmland Premium is also available for planting on common grazings in the crofting counties but must not exceed 100 hectares on each common grazing area. These limits apply to all planting after 1 April 1997 under the FWPS and Farmland Premium.
Existing claimants under the FWPS will
not transfer their obligations to the Farmland Premium but will benefit from the revised rates listed.
SFGS/Farmland Premium rules and procedures booklet is available from SEERAD offices.
CONTACT & INFORMATION - Forestry Commission, 231 Corstorphine Road, Edinburgh, EH12 7AT, Tel: 0131 334 0303. An applicant's pack is available from local FC Conservancy offices, or visit Forestry Commission website
www.forestry.gov.uk
Seed Production Aid
Growers of certified seed of certain crops, mainly herbage species, may qualify for aid under EC Regulations.
CONTACT & INFORMATION - Rural Payments Agency, Alverton Court, Crosby Road, Northallerton, North Yorkshire, DL6 1AD, Tel: 01609 773751 ext. 4480.
Sheep Annual Premium Scheme
This Scheme provides for the payment of an annual premium to sheepmeat producers. Payment is based on the number of female sheep that, by the last day of a specified 100-day retention period, have either:
The payment is in the form of a flat rate premium. A supplementary payment (Less-Favoured Area (LFA) supplement) is available to eligible producers who submitted an IACS Area Aid Application (AAA) form by the deadline of 15 May. Rates of payment for the SAP 2002 Scheme were: basic premium 13.01 per eligible animal; LFA Supplement 4.34 per eligible animal. Payments are made with effect from 16 October each year.
In conjunction with SAPS, SEERAD operates the Quality Assured Producers Scheme (QAPS). This makes available an additional payment to producers engaged in the production of sheepmeat to a recognised quality standard (European Standard EN 45011). Money for QAPS comes from Scotland's share of the UK's Sheep National Envelope, which amounts to about 2.75 million. The rate of payment in 2002 was estimated to be 0.72 per eligible animal (the exact figure was dependent on the number of sheep claimed).
CONTACT & INFORMATION -SAPS or QAPS - Local Area Offices or from Hill Farming and Livestock Subsidies Branch, CAP Management Division, SEERAD, Pentland House, 47 Robb's Loan, Edinburgh, EH14 1TY, Tel: 0131 244 6643.
Quota- SAP payments are restricted by means of a quota system limiting the numbers on which premium is paid. An explanatory guide on SAP quotas is available from SEERAD Area Offices or from the Scottish Executive's website at
www.scotland.gov.uk/library3/agri/ExNote.pdf or Livestock Quotas Branch, CAP Management Division, SEERAD, Pentland House, 47 Robb's Loan, Edinburgh, EH14 1TY, Tel: 0131 244 1144.
Sheep Compensation Scheme 1986 (Chernobyl)
This Scheme was introduced by the UK Government as a result of the Chernobyl nuclear incident in April 1986 and allows for the payment of compensation to sheep producers in areas subject to movement restrictions under the Food and Environment Protection Act 1985. The Scheme currently consists of two types of compensation. Under phase IV, sheep producers may claim compensation of 1.30 for each sheep monitored/marked and moved under consent from the Department. In addition, compensation payable under phase II (revised) allows for sheep producers to claim any market loss incurred on marked animals sold at auction markets and liveweight collection centres under the mark and release arrangements.
CONTACT & INFORMATION - Livestock and Livestock Products Branch, SEERAD, Pentland House, 47 Robb's Loan, Edinburgh, EH14 1TY, Tel: 0131 244 6408.
Slaughter Premium Scheme (SPS)
There are two elements to this scheme, SPS and Veal Calf Slaughter Premium Scheme (VCSPS):
SPS - Animals eligible for the slaughter premium are bulls, steers, cows and heifers slaughtered from the age of eight months. To be eligible for SPS, producers must have retained the animals claimed on their holding for two months prior to them leaving the holding to be slaughtered.
VCSPS - for animals slaughtered at more than one and less than seven months old. Producers must have retained the animals claimed on their holding for two months (for animals slaughtered at three to six months old inclusive) and one month (for animals slaughtered at more than one and less than three months old).
Claims must be submitted within six months of the date the claimed animals ended retention, or by 29 February 2004, whichever is sooner. Each producer may submit up to 12 claims for SPS and 12 claims for VCSPS in a scheme year.
The rate of premium for 2003 is €80 (approx. 49) for SPS, and €50 (approx. 31) for VCSPS. These sterling equivalents are based on the average rate of exchange over December 2002 (€1=0.642116). In the UK, SPS and VCSPS are subject to a restriction of 3,266,212 adult animals and 26,271 veal calves. If the restrictions are exceeded, the payment due on each animal will be reduced proportionately.
Although SPS and VCSPS are IACS based schemes, producers wishing to claim SPS and VCSPS only, do not have to submit an IACS Area Aid Application (AAA).
CONTACT & INFORMATION - local SEERAD area office or the Scottish Executive's website at
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/library5/agri/spsc-01.asp and
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/library5/agri/vcsp-01.asp
Suckler Cow Premium Scheme (SCP(S))
Premium is paid on suckler cows and heifers (over eight months old), forming part of a regular breeding herd used for rearing calves for meat. Milk producers actively involved in milk production, with milk quota of no more than 180,000kg (174,780 litres) on 31 March 2003 may also claim SCP as small milk producers.
The 2003 Scheme runs from 1 July until 6 December 2003. To qualify, producers must keep the animals claimed for a six-month retention period. The retention period begins the day after the claim is received, and ends six calendar months later.
To be eligible for payment under the 2003 Scheme, producers must have submitted an IACS Area Aid Application in 2003 by the deadline of 15 May 2003. The amount of SCP payable is limited by the stocking density calculated as Livestock Units (LUs) per hectare of the forage area declared on your AAA 2003 form. The stocking density limit for 2003 is 1.8 LUs per hectare of validated forage area.
The rate of premium for 2003 is €200 (approx. 120). These sterling equivalents are based on the average rate of exchange over December 2002 (€1=0.642116).
CONTACT & INFORMATION - local SEERAD area office or visit the Scottish Executive's website at
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/agri/ (See also the entry on Extensification Payment Scheme elsewhere in this guide.)
Quota - Payment of SCP is restricted by means of a quota system which limits the numbers of animals on which premium will be paid. An explanatory guide on SCP quotas is available from SEERAD Area Offices.
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