Frustration mounts for thousands of farmers still without support payments

MORE THAN 3,000 farmers are still awaiting the lifeblood of European support money, more than three months after the payment window opened, the National Farmers’ Union warned.

The union’s vice-president Stuart Roberts spoke about his frustration over the impasse at a time when many Northern farmers are having to spend extra funds to recover from some of the worst snow drifts to have affected their farmland in decades.

Mr Roberts rued the lack of progress made by the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) in administering direct support payments to farmers under the Basic Payment Scheme since January.

He said: “Of particular concern are those farmers who have had to endure additional costs caused by some of the worst weather in recent years.

“We have asked the RPA what more can be done to get affected farmers payments out of the door as soon as possible.”

As of January 26, the RPA had paid more than 79,000 or 93 per cent of farmers more than £1.5bn but since then, and up to the end of February, just 2,000 further farmers were paid.

Mr Roberts said: “Over the past few years we have seen a fall in the progress of BPS payments after December.

“This is disappointing to see yet again.

“It is equally important that farmers are contacted in the event of payment issues.

“Many of our members have continued to report to us that they are unable to get any meaningful updates and this lack of communication leaves cash flow planning impossible.”

Farmers who have not been paid by the end of this month have been promised a bridging payment in April of 75 per cent of the value of their claim. But Mr Roberts said: “We should never be reaching the point where bridging payments become necessary.”

The Rural Payments Agency was approached for a comment but did not responded in time for publication.