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The Rural Payments Agency (RPA) wants to hear from growers of permanent fruit and vegetable crops (including commercial orchards), nursery crops and vines (ONV) interested in registering for new entitlements under the Single Payment Scheme (SPS). New SPS entitlements will be available for the 2010 year.
The Agency is hoping the publication of Information Note 2 will encourage more growers to call its helpline to register their details as soon as possible. Early registration will ensure the land is mapped and field numbers allocated in advance of applicants completing their new entitlements application form.
Information Note 2 can be found on the RPA website (www.rpa.gov.uk) by following the link to New Entitlements from the front page. It provides guidance for growers of these crops in England and is particularly useful for anyone who hasn’t applied for SPS before.
It outlines:
- the eligibility requirements for farmers who wish to apply for new entitlements;
- what constitutes eligible land;
- how the RPA will calculate the number of entitlements (including hardship and national reserve provisions);
- cross compliance requirements;
- the process to apply for new entitlements; and
- the timetable of the process.
Growers are urged to read Information Note 2, If they believe they meet the criteria they should, to call the RPA Customer Service Centre as soon as possible on 0845 603 7777 to register their interest. The customer service centre is open 8.30-5 Monday to Friday.
Notes to editors:
RPA is an executive agency of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra). It is the single paying agency responsible for CAP schemes in England and is responsible for administering the Single Payment Scheme (SPS). Other key services include carrying out rural inspections and livestock tracing.
The Single Payment Scheme was introduced in England in 2005 under the 2003 CAP reforms. Around £1.5 billion is paid out annually under the scheme to English farmers by the RPA.
The decision that land under ONV Crops will become eligible under the SPS, if used to support existing entitlements, from the 2009 scheme year was announced via a Defra News Release on 20 December 2007. Land under vines also became eligible from the 2009 scheme year following agreement on reform of the CAP wine regime in December 2007.
The decision to allocate new entitlements for these crops for first use in the 2010 scheme year was announced via a Defra News Release on 8 August 2008.
Media Enquiries
Caroline Forcer, RPA Press Office, 0118 968 7680; e-mail: caroline.forcer@rpa.gsi.gov.uk.
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