'Serious concerns' remain over farm payment mapping

The NFU says it still has serious concerns over the need for farmers to record previously unmapped permanent ineligible features as part of their Basic Payment Scheme application this year, despite today’s announcement that the deadline was being extended.

This enforced requirement, the NFU says, is an unnecessary new additional form filling exercise for farmers which could also place extra burden on the RPA as it attempts to ensure farmers are paid on time and at a time when some are trying desperately to get hold of their Basic Payment Scheme BP5 form.

NFU Vice President Guy Smith said: “We’ve previously told the RPA, Defra and Government ministers about the serious concerns our members and colleagues have with the process of recording permanent illegible features not already on the Rural Land Register.

“The burden at this critical time to complete additional forms - when in the past simply reducing the area of the claim was acceptable by the RPA - was a real concern raised with us by many members. We still remain concerned with the ability for farmers and the RPA alike to cope with this additional workload.

“Despite this extension, the NFU is still disappointed that these RLE1 forms will need to be completed this year and be processed before claims can be fully validated and paid. In the meantime, we would urge our members to ensure they fill in the RLE1 forms as soon as possible for recording un-recorded permanent ineligible features.”

The decision to extend the deadline was made by Government ministers today. However, the deadline for RPA to receive BP5 application forms, and all RLE1s used for any other purpose for BPS 2015, remains 15 June 2015 – details below.