We are urgently developing research requirements with other European laboratories to make sure we understand and the disease (Schmallenberg) better.RPA chief seeks to assure farmers over mapping process
THE head of the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) has sought to assure farmers that problems with the re-mapping process will not delay 2010 Single Payments.
Addressing the NFU Council, RPA chief executive Tony Cooper reported that over 82,000 maps had now been sent out to farmers in England.
Around 80 per cent of maps have been returned within the 28-day limit by farmers and, of those, 60 per cent have been agreed without any change.
He said the agency was expecting to send out the remainder of maps by the end of October.
Although progress has been slower than initially anticipated due to problems with the initial tranches of maps, he said the new data ‘will be available’ to support 2010 SPS and agri-environment scheme applications next year.
Mr Cooper thanked farmers for their efforts in responding to the maps during a difficult summer.
“We are currently engaged in an intensive round of customer facing activity aimed at making the whole process easier for farmers,” he said.
He also revealed that validations for SPS 2009 are ahead of this time last year. The agency is expecting to at least match its performance under the 2008 scheme when about 69,000 farmers were paid in December.
Simon Lunniss, RPA rural land register policy manager, who also spoke at the event, said: “Maps with the new starred boundaries are now being sent out across England.
“Rollout of initial maps is planned to be complete by end October and production of confirming maps continues for farmers requesting changes.
“RPA continues to encourage all farmers and agents to check their maps and make any amendments within the 28 day period.”
But their comments failed to satisfy farmers at the meeting in Warwickshire, who were deeply sceptical of Mr Cooper’s claim that there would be no implications for the 2010 SPS.
NFU council members criticised the agency over the time it was taking to deal with corrections submitted by farmers and demanded to know if it had a contingency plan in the event that the maps were not ready in time.
NFU deputy president Meurig Raymond said farmers were ‘deeply concerned’ about the implications of the re-mapping process.
