Single farm payment delays will cause 'significant hardship' warns Farron

Tim Farron, MP for Westmorland and Lonsdale and Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Hill Farming, has formally called on the government to ensure that interim advanced payments are put in place this year to prevent unnecessary hardship for farmers caused by the expected delays in payments of the new Single Farm Payment.

The Single Farm Payment replaced production based subsidies in the 2003 Common Agricultural Policy reform. During the eight year changeover period the Single Farm Payment will depend upon a combination of historic and regional average payments with the regional average component increasing each year.

Commenting, Tim said:

“British farmers are among the best adapted to the changes forced upon them but the expected payment delays will cause greater hardship in an industry already struggling to survive.

“Farmers within Westmorland and Lonsdale have already spoken to me about the difficulties they face. I urge the government to do more to ease the transition to the new payment system.”