One Hectare Minimum SPS Claim Announced
UK - The Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has announced a new minimum claim size at one hectare for the 2010 Single Payment Scheme (SPS).
22 September 2009
1 minute read
Farming Minister, Jim Fitzpatrick said: "By setting the minimum claim size at one hectare, the lowest area allowed by the EU, we have minimised the amount of change for farmers and ensured that as many farmers as possible will be able to claim."
National Farmers Union (NFU) President, Peter Kendall said that the NFU were pleased that DEFRA had listened to the views of stakeholders and resisted the temptation to set a higher minimum claim size, which would have compromised a minority of smaller claimants at no advantage to the rest.
DEFRA also announced that it would not introduce an 'objective farmer test' to determine who is eligible under the SPS, and that nuts and protein support will be decoupled from 2012 onwards. Mr Kendall said that the decision to delay intergration of protein crop payments was a sensible approach, however he was concerned about discussions in France to introduce a new aid payment for protein crops from next year, which would put UK pea and bean growers at a serious competitive disadvantage.
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