The rate of advance Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) payments to Northern Irish farmers has been increased to 70{b28040870e2dde01f25bc5b483275391226143b34751c4bb8f1feeecaec925a1} of the claim value.
The rise from 50{b28040870e2dde01f25bc5b483275391226143b34751c4bb8f1feeecaec925a1} was confirmed by the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) earlier today, October 5.
An application from the department to increase the rate of advance payments from October 16 has recently been approved by the European Commission.
The department submitted an application to the commission after heavy rainfall and subsequent flash flooding in August.
Advance payments will commence on Monday, October 16, to all eligible farm businesses in Northern Ireland which have fully-verified claims, DAERA confirmed.
Balance payments, or full payments for those not eligible for an advance payment, will commence from December 1, the department added.
Back in September, the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Michael Creed, confirmed that 70{b28040870e2dde01f25bc5b483275391226143b34751c4bb8f1feeecaec925a1} advance payments would be issued to farmers in the Republic of Ireland.
Similarly to Northern Ireland, the advance payments would begin to be issued from October 16, with balancing payments issuing from December 1.
Speaking at the National Ploughing Championships in September, Minister Creed said: “I am very pleased that this allows us to make advance payments – at a rate of 70{b28040870e2dde01f25bc5b483275391226143b34751c4bb8f1feeecaec925a1}, rather than the standard rate of 50{b28040870e2dde01f25bc5b483275391226143b34751c4bb8f1feeecaec925a1} provided for under EU legislation – to those applicants whose applications are confirmed fully clear, with effect from October 16, with balancing payments being made with effect from December 1.”
There will also be an increase permitted to the advance payment for Pillar II Rural Development schemes, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine explained.
The rate is set to be increased up to a possible 85{b28040870e2dde01f25bc5b483275391226143b34751c4bb8f1feeecaec925a1}, for those schemes where advance payments will be made before the end of the year, it added.
In 2016, applications were also granted in both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland to increase the rate of advance payments to 70{b28040870e2dde01f25bc5b483275391226143b34751c4bb8f1feeecaec925a1}.
