NFU relief at part payment announcement

The NFU has expressed enormous relief at the announcement that 85 per cent of the £1.5 billion Single Payment Scheme (SPS) pot has now been paid to farmers.

The NFU has been pushing for part payments to be made since it became clear the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) was going to miss the March deadline for the bulk of full payments.

Peter Kendall, NFU president said: "I am really pleased that the part payment run has gone ahead successfully and I am very appreciative to Defra and the RPA for what they have done to get these payments out. It means that the pressure will be taken off many farmers and the problem of cash flow will be eased. This what the industry has been waiting for.

"We will now be encouraging the new ministerial team to implement a part payment model for the 2006 scheme. We are determined farmers should not be in the same position this time next year."