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Guide on how to complete your
2013 Single Application (SAF1)
and Field Data Sheet (FDS)
You can get a copy of this document in other formats, such as:
• Large print
• Braille
• Audio CD
• Computer disk
• Other languages
To get a copy of this document in another format contact:
Single Farm Payment Branch
Orchard House,
40 Foyle Street,
Derry/Londonderry,
BT48 6AT
Tel: 0300 200 7848
Fax: 028 7131 9800
E-Mail: gspd.sfps@dardni.gov.uk
GUIDE TO COMPLETING YOUR 2013
SINGLE APPLICATION FORM (SAF 1)
AND FIELD DATA SHEET (FDS)
Please read this Guide carefully.
The Guide sets out the information needed to complete your 2013 Single Application
Form and Field Data Sheet if you apply for any of the following:
• 2013 Single Farm Payment Scheme (SFP)
• 2014 Less Favoured Area Compensatory Allowances (LFACA)
• 2013 Northern Ireland Countryside Management Scheme (NICMS)
• 2013 Organic Farming Scheme (OFS)
• Application and registration process for Agricultural Waste Authorisations
We must apply the rules of the SFP and other schemes in line with European Union
(EU) Regulations. If you do not meet these rules your application may be penalised
and your payment reduced. Make sure that you fully understand and can meet the
rules of each scheme you apply for. We do not have any discretion to vary the rules
to meet individual cases of hardship.
This Guide is not a full statement or interpretation of the law (which only the
European Court of Justice can give) and it cannot replace specific advice on specific
questions.
The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD) will take every
possible step to identify and pursue all attempted fraudulent claims and will
only pay on claims to area-based aid schemes where eligibility has been
established beyond reasonable doubt.
DARD Fraud Hotline Number: - FREEPHONE 0808 100 2716
Contents
Section Subject
1
2
3
4
Page
Introduction
1
Your 2013 Single Application Form
1
Paper based applications
1
Changes for the 2013 Scheme
3
The 2013 scheme map, field information table and your 2013 FDS
3
Claiming for NICMS and OFS
4
Dual use claims and written conacre licence agreements
4
Shared grazing and claiming fields or parts of fields with no clear
physical boundaries
4
Duplicate fields
4
Cross-Compliance
5
Review of decisions process and LFACA
5
Guide to Land Eligibility booklet 2013 Update
5
Modulation
6
Registration of Agricultural Waste Authorisations
6
Your 2013 scheme map, MEA and notifying changes
7
Maps
7
Maximum Eligible Area (MEA)
7
Changes to field boundaries after 15 May 2013
8
Tenants
9
New entrant to farming
9
Change of ownership
9
Common grazing
9
Completing your 2013 SAF and FDS
10
Before you start
10
FDS Columns A - E field information
11
FDS Column F Maximum Eligible Area (MEA)
12
Completing your FDS
13
Checking your FDS
13
Agricultural land you need to include on your FDS
15
5
Shared grazing, multiple claimant fields and field boundaries
17
6
How to complete your SAF 1
19
Field Information Table - Example
30
Field Data Sheet (FDS) - Example
32
7
Important dates in the application process
36
8
Information for landowners and tenants on claiming SFP,
LFACA and other area-based aid schemes
37
Who is eligible for SFP?
37
Landowners
37
Tenants
37
Should I be claiming SFP on the land?
38
Land use and SFP
38
Who is eligible for 2014 LFACA?
39
Land use and LFACA
40
Dual use claims
40
Duplicate field claims
41
Specific issues of interest
42
DARD online services
42
Order of activating your SFP entitlements
43
€100 minimum payment for SFP
44
Land claimed for SFP under a NIEA designated site
44
On-the-spot (OTS) land eligibility checks (inspections)
45
Cross-Compliance responsibilities
46
General points to remember
48
Nomination of authorised person
48
Amendments, corrections or withdrawals of application forms
48
9
10
Obvious error
50
Cross-border applications
50
Penalties
51
Modulation
51
Force majeure and exceptional circumstance
53
Land taken out of production due to force majeure
and exceptional circumstances
53
Ash dieback and force majeure
55
12
Eligible land use codes for column G
56
13
Standards of service
59
14
Contact details
62
11
Annex 1 Types of ineligible features
66
Annex 2 Press release on dual claims
67
Annex 3 Press release on SFP entitlements
68
Annex 4 Terms of reference
69
Annex 5 List of other information guides available
70
Section 1
Introduction
Your 2013 Single Application Form
This Guide explains how to complete your 2013 Single Application (SAF1) and Field
Data Sheet (FDS) and sets out the changes to be applied for the 2013 Scheme year.
You must submit a SAF 1 and FDS to apply for any of the area-based aid schemes
listed on the application form. You are advised to complete your 2013 SAF and send
it to us well in advance of the closing date for receipt of applications on 15 May
2013.
The Department would, however, prefer to receive your Single Application online. To
do this, you will need a Government Gateway ID and password. If you don’t already
have an ID, you should contact the Department’s online services team on 0300 200
7843 or visit www.dardni.gov.uk/onlineservices
For further information about online applications see Section 9.
New and improved maps have been issued to all farmers to support the 2013 Single
Application. It is very important that you give yourself plenty of time to study your
map and compare it with the situation in your fields before you complete your
application.
We recommend that you complete the FDS part of your application first.
Refer to this Guide as you work through your application. In particular, follow
the instructions given in Sections 3, 4, 5 and 6. Take the time to ensure you
complete your application accurately. This will help avoid any delay in your payment
and avoid possible penalty.
Paper based applications
If you decide to complete your application by hand this can be submitted to DARD
by post in the envelope provided or by submission at a local DARD Direct office. See
Section 14 for office addresses.
• Use black ink and write clearly inside the boxes. If your form is not legible, it
could delay the processing of your application.
• Do not use correction fluid. If you need to make a change, cross out and
initial the original entry and enter the amendment.
• Sign your completed SAF1 and each FDS.
It is your responsibility to make sure your 2013 SAF arrives before the closing date
of the scheme. We will write and tell you that we have received your posted
application. We do not issue a reminder if we do not receive an application from you.
1
Apart from online applications, we will only accept an original version of the 2013
SAF1 and FDS. We will not accept photocopies or forms which have been
downloaded from our website.
Contact the Department at Orchard House if you do not receive an acknowledgment
letter within 3 weeks of posting your application. See Section 14 for contact details.
2
Section 2
1.
Changes for the 2013 Scheme
The 2013 scheme map, field information table and your 2013 FDS
You will be aware of the remapping exercise being carried out by the Department,
known as the Land Parcel Identification System (LPIS). The LPIS exercise has meant
that over 70% of fields in Northern Ireland have been changed in some way. As the
majority of fields have been changed we have not pre-populated Columns G to J of
the FDS. This would usually have been pre-populated with last year’s (2012) claim
information but, because of the changes to fields, it is no longer appropriate in the
majority of cases. Columns G to J of the FDS need to be completed by you for your
2013 claim.
Further information on completing your FDS using your 2013 scheme map and field
information table is at Section 4.
You should have already received a 2013 scheme map and a field information table
along with a guide explaining how to check them both.
The scheme map and field information table contain an important new piece of
information to help you complete your 2013 Single Application accurately. This is the
Maximum Eligible Area (MEA) for each field. The MEA is our assessment of the
maximum area that you can use to claim SFP and LFACA in each field. The MEA
held on our mapping system has been used to pre-populate Column F of your FDS
and will also be used to validate the area you claim for SFP and/or LFACA in 2013.
The most important things for you to remember are:
• You should not claim a larger area than the MEA shown at column F on
the FDS, unless you are very sure that this area is wrong and you have
already completed and sent us a LPIS correction form to tell us about
the changes that are needed.
• You can claim less than the MEA, but you must ensure that you deduct
any other ineligible areas from your claim that we have not included on
your map.
• You only need to record eligible land use at Column G. You do not need
to record the ineligible areas.
There is further information on your map, MEA and notifying changes to these in
Section 3.
3
2.
Claiming for NICMS and OFS
For 2013, NICMS and OFS are not shown on your FDS but you still need to make a
claim for these schemes by completing Questions 4 and 5 and Section 7 of the
SAF1.
See Section 6 of this Guide for further information.
3.
Dual use claims and written conacre licence agreements
A dual use claim is where one farmer is claiming SFP on land that is used by a
different farmer to claim LFACA. A dual use claim is not the same as a duplicate field
claim where the same fields have been claimed under the same scheme by more
than one farmer, for example SFP.
For 2013 if you are claiming SFP on land that is used by a different farmer to claim
LFACA, you will need a written conacre licence agreement between you and the
other farmer. By signing the declaration at Section 8 of the SAF, you will be
confirming that this agreement is in place.
We will be carrying out a 5% check on dual use claims received in 2013 and will
withhold payment on both the SFP and LFACA claims until we are satisfied that all
the relevant scheme conditions are being met.
Further information on dual use claims is at Section 8. Also a copy of the press
release which issued in December 2012 is at Annex 2 of this Guide.
4.
Shared grazing and claiming fields or parts of fields with no clear
physical boundaries
From 2013, fields can no longer be shared unless there is a physical boundary in
place. You will only be permitted to claim a field or part of a field where there is a
clear boundary to separate the field or part of the field that you are claiming. Shared
grazing or more than one claimant claiming a field (that is multiple claimants) will not
be permitted. A field can only be claimed by the farm business that is undertaking
the agricultural activity on it.
Further information on claiming field or parts of fields with no clear physical
boundaries and shared grazing can be found at Section 5.
5.
Duplicate fields
Each year SFP Branch in Orchard House issue a ‘fields not printed’ letter to those
producers where an unresolved duplicate field exists on their application.
For 2013 these letters will not be issued. Unresolved duplicate fields will be
pre-printed at Columns A-F on the FDS of all businesses on which the field was
duplicated in 2012.
4
It is important that farmers agree who has the right to claim the field before they
submit their application. The farmer who does not have the right to claim
should ensure that the field is removed from their FDS.
6.
Cross Compliance
A number of changes were made to the Cross-Compliance Verifiable Standards with
effect from 1 January 2013. You were also sent a letter in January 2013 which set
out these particular changes. It is important that you read this letter carefully so that
you are aware of the changes. The changes have been incorporated into the CrossCompliance Verifiable Standards Summary (revised 1 January 2013) document and
the Cross-Compliance Verifiable Standards (Full Version) document.
A copy of all these documents can be viewed at
www.dardni.gov.uk/Cross-Compliance.
Further information on Cross-Compliance can also be found at Section 9.
7.
Review of Decisions process and LFACA
If you are not happy with the explanation, or consider that our decision regarding
your LFACA is incorrect, you will now have the right to have our decision reviewed
using the same Review of Decisions process as SFP. See Section 13 Standards of
Service for further advice.
8.
‘Guide to Land Eligibility’ booklet 2013 update
We have made two changes to the ‘Guide to Land Eligibility’ booklet.
The first change is to Section 4. We have extended the use of the scorecard to
assess areas of scattered scrub to other scattered ineligible vegetation such as
ineligible rush and bracken. If you need to assess areas of scattered ineligible
vegetation to work out what deductions to make to your map or claim, you should
use the scorecard already recommended for assessing scattered scrub.
The second change is to Section 8. When we issued your 2012 map, we sent you a
scorecard that was used to assess areas of scattered rock in your fields. This
scorecard has now been included in the 2013 ‘Guide to Land Eligibility’ booklet.
An updated 2013 version of the ‘Guide to Land Eligibility’ booklet is available on the
DARD website at www.dardni.gov.uk/grants-and-funding.
5
9.
Modulation
No voluntary modulation will be deducted from 2013 SFP payments. Further
information on modulation is at Section 10.
10.
Registration of Agricultural Waste Authorisations
The information at Section 6 of the SAF1 relating to Agricultural Waste Exemptions is
required by the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) and will be passed to
them.
For 2013 an additional question has been included at 12.1 relating to storage of
tyres.
Farmers will not be penalised for storing waste tyres which are required according to
the waste exemptions (for example silage clamps). However, should NIEA become
aware that illegal tyre dumping/landfilling is taking place then enforcement action
may be taken.
While there is no direct link between this and SFP, farmers are reminded that land
temporarily out of agricultural use for the storage of tyres, silage bales, machinery
and all other land temporarily out of agricultural use is not eligible for SFP.
Information on the Registration of Agricultural Waste Authorisations is available from
the NIEA directly or at the following website addresses:
www.ni-environment.gov.uk/waste-home/waste-guidance.htm
www.doeni.gov.uk/niea/waste-home/authorisation/regulations_carrier.htm
Contact details can be found at Section 14 of this Guide.
6
Section 3
Your 2013 scheme map, MEA and notifying changes
Maps
You should have already received a 2013 scheme map and a field information table
along with a guide explaining how to check them both.
If you have not received a 2013 scheme map, you need to contact your local DARD
Direct office immediately.
Maximum Eligible area (MEA)
The scheme map and field information table contain an important new piece of
information to help you complete your 2013 Single Application accurately. This is the
Maximum Eligible Area (MEA) for each field.
The MEA is our assessment of the maximum area that you can use to claim SFP and
LFACA in each field and is based on the boundary features and ineligible features
that we have shown on your map.
To calculate the MEA we have only taken account of the ineligible features listed at
Annex 1 of this Guide that we can see on the aerial photography used to produce
your map. For example, we will have deducted ineligible vegetation greater than
0.1ha but we will not have deducted any ineligible vegetation in your fields less than
0.1ha.
The importance of the MEA for the processing of SFP and LFACA claims.
The MEA held on our mapping system has been used to pre-populate column F of
your FDS and will also be used to validate the area you claim for SFP and/or LFACA
in 2013. As a general rule, you should not claim more than the MEA shown at
Column F of the FDS unless you are confident that our assessment of the MEA is
incorrect.
To avoid validation errors that may delay the processing of your 2013 claim, it is
important that the MEA held on our mapping system is correct.
What you need to do if the MEA is incorrect
If our assessment of the MEA shown in Column F of your FDS is incorrect you may
need to tell us to change the MEA by completing a LPIS Correction Form.
You need to use a LPIS Correction Form to tell us about changes to field boundaries
and the addition or removal of the types of ineligible features shown at Annex 1 of
this Guide. You should send the LPIS Correction Form to your local DARD Direct
office well in advance of the 15 May 2013 closing date for receipt of your Single
Application.
7
You do not need to complete a LPIS Correction Form to remove small ineligible
vegetative features (that is vegetation occupying an area between 0.01ha and
0.10ha).
If there are several small separate parcels of ineligible vegetative features each
under 0.10ha you do not need to complete a LPIS Correction Form.
These smaller ineligible features must be deducted from the area you claim at
columns I and J of your FDS.
We will not amend your MEA if you amend column F of your FDS by scoring a
line through the incorrect information and writing the amended MEA by hand.
If you claim more than the MEA for any field and have not informed DARD of a
mapping change, this will be detected as an error on your claim which will
need to be investigated. This will result in a delay to your payment and if it is
subsequently found that you have claimed ineligible areas, penalties may be
applied.
What you need to do if you have already sent us a LPIS Correction Form.
When you received your 2013 scheme map you were asked to tell us about any
changes by completing a LPIS Correction Form. If you responded to that request
but the changes to your MEA have not been reflected on your FDS please do
not resend the LPIS Correction Form. We will ensure that all outstanding LPIS
Correction Forms are processed on our mapping system. This will ensure that we
have the correct MEA on our systems to accurately validate the areas you claim for
SFP and/or LFACA in 2013.
Further information on completing your FDS using your 2013 scheme map and
field information table is at Section 4.
Changes to field boundaries after 15 May 2013
If you have changes which affect your MEA after you have submitted your 2013
Single Application, for example, removal of land from agricultural use, which means
that land is no longer eligible for SFP or other schemes, you need to
• Complete a SAF3 and return it to SFP Branch in Orchard House to adjust
your 2013 application; and
• Complete a LPIS Correction Form amending the MEA and send it to your
local DARD Direct office.
8
If you have been told about a land eligibility inspection, or we have notified you of an
error in your application, we will correct your map but we cannot change the part of
your application affected by this error. See Section 10 for further information on
amendments, corrections or withdrawals of single applications.
You cannot remove a hedge or boundary without permission from DARD. If you wish
to apply to remove a field boundary, you should contact Countryside Management
Development Branch. Contact Details can be found in Section 14 of this Guide.
Tenants
If you are a tenant and have not received a map and field information table for some
of the fields you are claiming in 2013, you need to contact the landowner to see if
he/she has received these.
New entrant to farming
If you are a new entrant to farming and have not received a map, or you are asking
for fields to be included that have not been previously mapped, you should contact
your local DARD Direct office. You should bring with you a solicitor’s letter
confirming the farm survey number and field numbers purchased or inherited. Local
offices cannot map land without proof of ownership.
Change of ownership
You need to contact your local DARD Direct office if you
• No longer own the land as detailed on the 2013 SAF.
• Now own land that is not detailed on the 2013 SAF.
You need to amend the 2013 SAF to reflect these changes.
Common grazing
If you have rights within an area of common grazing, the common will not be
displayed on the map and we will not be showing any information on ineligible areas.
The share allocation however, will be listed in the information we have provided
along with the map. The farm survey number of common grazing can be easily
recognised as the map number is always 900 or more, for example, 4/013/902.
For the majority of commons in County Down the area will be allocated each year
through Trustees. If you are not satisfied that the share allocation of common grazing
is correct, you should contact your local DARD Direct office. You should declare your
common land on your FDS and tell us if this is different to your allocated area. You
should make deductions for all ineligible areas.
9
Section 4
Completing your 2013 SAF and FDS
Before you start
Make sure you have the latest version of your 2013 scheme map and field
information table that we sent you at the start of 2013.
The map and field information table provided a maximum
eligible area (MEA) for each field.
The MEA is the maximum area that you should use to
claim SFP and LFACA in each field (subject to scheme
rules) - unless you are sure the MEA is incorrect.
Go to Section 3 for
information on
your map and what
you need to do.
When you received your 2013 scheme map pack (around January or February) you
were asked to check that the information on your map and the field information table
issued with it was correct. If the MEA for any of your fields was not correct, you
should have told us this by completing and returning the LPIS Correction Form
which was provided at that time in your map information pack.
What should I do if I have checked my map and field information table and told
DARD about the changes using the LPIS Correction Form?
• Check that the changes you told us about have been reflected on your FDS
and replacement map.
• If they have been reflected, you can complete columns G - J of your FDS
application.
What should I do if the changes I reported using the LPIS Correction Form have
not been reflected on my FDS?
The information we used to pre-print columns A to F of your FDS is based on the
information we held in late February 2013. If you told us about changes after that
your FDS will not have been updated but we will have processed the changes on our
mapping system.
If you did not keep a copy of your LPIS Correction Form and scheme map, staff in
your local DARD Direct office will be able to provide the information you need.
If you are claiming land that you have leased in or taken in conacre for the first time,
you need to check with the landowner to see if they have received a map and
information on ineligible areas. You should do this before completing your
application.
10
What should I do if I did not check my map and field information table when the
Department sent them out earlier in the year?
• You must check the scheme map and field information table immediately
because this information has been used to pre-print columns A to F of your
2013 FDS. If the MEA on the scheme map and field information table is
wrong then your pre-printed 2013 FDS will also be wrong.
• You must complete a LPIS Correction Form if you
need to make changes to field boundaries or
remove the types of ineligible features listed at
Annex 1.
Go to Section 3
‘What you need to
do if the MEA is
incorrect.
• Complete your FDS using your corrected MEA.
Outstanding 2012 queries
The pre-printed information will include any fields where there is an outstanding
query from 2012, for example, if there was a duplicate field query which has not yet
been resolved. This will be pre-printed on the FDS of both businesses that claimed
the field in 2012.
You should ensure that all the businesses involved agree who should claim this
field in 2013 and avoid a further duplicate field situation.
You need to make sure that you remove any fields from your FDS which you do not
wish to claim in 2013.
FDS columns A - E field information
This information has been pre-printed using the field information table that
accompanied your 2013 scheme map. We have included fields that, according to
our records you own but which you may not have declared in 2012.
You may notice some changes to your field details.
You may notice some fields on the field information table are missing from the FDS.
Not all of the fields shown on your scheme map and the field information table
provided with it will appear on your FDS.
The following will not appear.
• Shared grazing fields
Shared grazing fields will be numbered 870 or in some cases a number
between 930 and 952 within the farm survey number. Further information on
this is at Section 5.
11
• Multiple Claimant Fields
A ’multiple claimant field’ is identified in Column F
of the field information table accompanying your
scheme as ’MERGED-MC’ and the MEA for the
field has been recorded as zero.
Further information on this is at Section 5.
Go to page 15 for
information on the
land you need to
declare.
• Unclear Bogs
Where ‘unclear bog’ was printed in Column G of the field information table
issued with your scheme map this means that the field is lowland bog. The
MEA for the field was set to zero in Column E of the field information table.
Based on the information currently available to us, we consider the field is
ineligible for SFP and (where appropriate) LFACA and should not be claimed
in 2013. We have not pre-printed any information about that field on the
FDS.
If you are confident that the area is eligible you should notify us by
completing Section 3 of the LPIS Correction Form and add the field to your
FDS to claim it in 2013.
• Fields no longer in agricultural use.
These are fields that appear to be permanently removed from agricultural
use. These fields will have been recorded in Column F of the field
information table listed with your scheme map as ‘DELETED’.
FDS column F Maximum Eligible Area (MEA)
The information has been pre-printed using the MEA taken from column E of the
field information table issued with your scheme map.
In most cases the area shown in column F on your FDS will be the same as the area
on your map and column E of the field information table unless it has been amended
to reflect changes you have told us about.
So, if you told us about the changes that were needed to your map including the
MEA before 22 February 2013 these should be reflected in the information
pre-populated on your FDS.
There is one exception.
Common land - as we have not yet re-mapped common land, there will be no MEA
for any common land that has been pre-printed. Any information on common land
that has been pre-printed is based on your historical allocated share for that
common.
If you need further advice you should contact your local DARD Direct office on
0300 200 7848.
12
Completing your FDS
You need to complete the FDS very carefully. If you are not sure what you need to
do, contact your local DARD Direct Office, your farming union representative or
agricultural consultant for advice.
See an example of a FDS on page 32/35 for guidance.
The most important things for you to remember are
• You should not claim a larger area than the MEA shown at column F on
the FDS, unless you are very sure that this area is wrong and you have
already completed and sent us a LPIS Correction Form to tell us about
the changes that are needed. We will carry out cross checks between
the MEA and the area you claim. If you claim a larger area, we will have
to investigate every difference we identify. This will take time and may
mean it will take longer to process your claim.
• You can claim less than the MEA, but you must ensure that you deduct
any other ineligible areas from your claim that we have not included on
your map. For example, scrub, scattered ineligible vegetation or trees
in areas smaller than 0.1 ha, or changes which have happened recently
and are not reflected.
You should enter all the fields at Columns H, I and J to 2 decimal places. So, if you
are taking information from your field information table sent with your map, you will
need to round to two decimal places as appropriate.
If you enter fields to 3 decimal places, we will round up or down to 2 places.
Checking your FDS
Step 1 - Review the fields that have been pre-printed
The fields pre-printed on your FDS should be in the same order as the field
information table.
Check that all the fields that are part of your holding have been included and the
field details are correct. All the agricultural land on your holding should be declared
at columns A - F, even if you are not claiming for that land.
You should delete fields that have been pre-printed and are not part of your holding.
You should add fields that are part of your holding, and have not been pre-printed.
Step 2 - Check the MEA
Make sure you agree the MEA is correct.
Remember, it is not enough to score a line through the FDS line to correct the
MEA. You MUST complete and return a LPIS Correction Form to your local
DARD Direct office.
Follow the process at Section 3.
13
Step 3 - Record the eligible land use code
For each field you want to claim for SFP or LFACA, record the eligible land use in
column G. This area should not be greater than the MEA unless you have notified us
of a change at step 2 above.
You only need to record eligible land use from the list at Section 12.
You do not need to record ineligible land use - so Codes OT 6, 7, 13, 14, 15, 16
and 17 are no longer needed.
If the field has more than one eligible land use, you should record each eligible use
on a separate line and record the corresponding area in column H. The total of these
areas should not be greater than the MEA unless you have notified us of a change at
step 2 above. If there is only one eligible use in the field it is not necessary to
complete column H.
You should exclude any small ineligible area which may not
have been removed from your map and may still be
included in your MEA.
Detailed information on eligible land can be found in the
updated 2013 ‘Guide to Land Eligibility’ booklet
www.dardni.gov.uk/grants-and-funding
See the FDS
example on page
32-35
Step 4 - Complete your claim for SFP
Complete Column I to claim SFP on a particular field. You should record the eligible
area you are claiming to activate your SFP entitlements. The area you record in this
column should not be more than the MEA at column F. The only exception to this
is if you have told us about a change to the MEA using a LPIS Correction Form at
step 2 above.
Make sure you exclude any small ineligible areas which may not have been removed
from your map and may still be included in your MEA.
Step 5 - Complete your claim for LFACA
Complete Column J to claim LFACA on a particular field.
You should record the eligible area you are claiming. The
area you record in this column should not be more than
the MEA at column F. The only exception to this is if you
have told us about a change to the MEA using a LPIS
Correction Form at step 2 above.
Go to section 3 for
information on
amending your
MEA.
Make sure you exclude any small ineligible areas which may not have been removed
from your map and may still be included in your MEA. Also, exclude any areas within
the MEA which are not eligible crop groups for LFACA.
14
Agricultural land you need to include on your FDS
You have to declare all the agricultural land that you use as
(i) owned,
(ii) taken in conacre,
(iii) leased in,
even if you are not claiming payment for that land or you consider that the land
is not eligible for SFP.
If you do not declare all your agricultural land, you may be subject to a nondeclaration penalty. If you still own the fields shown on the maps we have sent you,
you must declare them all on your 2013 SAF otherwise we will consider applying
non declaration penalties.
If you are taking land in conacre but, for whatever reason, you are not claiming for
that land, it must be included at Columns A - F of your FDS as it is still considered
part of your holding.
If you are no longer taking land in conacre you should remove it from your FDS.
You do not need to complete a LPIS Correction Form for conacre fields.
For further information for landowners and tenants see Section 8.
Nitrates Action Programme
You must also declare all land farmed, including owned, taken in conacre or leased,
which is to be used, or likely to be used, for the purposes of compliance with the
Nitrates Action Programme Regulations.
The Category 1 farm business claiming SFP and/or LFACA, NICMS or OFS on the
land is responsible, in the first instance, for ensuring that all Cross-Compliance
requirements for that land are met. If you are the SFP and/or LFACA, NICMS or OFS
claimant and the Cross-Compliance requirements are breached, your payment(s)
may be reduced.
If you have not caused the breach, it will be up to you, as the claimant, to provide
satisfactory evidence that the breach has been caused by another party. If you are
the other party and you are also a SFP and/or LFACA, NICMS or OFS claimant, then
your payment(s) may be penalised in respect of the breach and, if appropriate, for
failing to declare the land.
If you have entered into a written agreement with another party, for example, a
Nitrates Action Programme Controller Agreement, to take control of the land for
nitrates purposes, you and the other party, if they are a Category 1 farm business,
need to declare that land on your FDS at Columns A - E. This declaration does not
give rise to a duplicate claim as this only occurs when both parties claim payment
for the same scheme on the same land.
15
If you have any queries relating to the Nitrates Action Programme (NAP) Regulations,
you should contact, either, the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA)
(028 9262 3184) or your local Countryside Management Delivery Branch Advisor.
You should also refer to the Nitrates Action Programme and Phosphorous
Regulations Guidance Booklet. This can be found on the DARD website at
www.ruralni.gov.uk/index/environment/countrysidemanagement/zones.htm
Woodland and forest
The following woodland and forest is regarded as agricultural land and must be
declared at Columns A - E of your FDS if
• it is being grazed;
• there are fewer than 50 trees per hectare and it's capable of being grazed;
• it is short rotation coppice; or
• it is in a Woodland Grant Scheme, Farm Woodland Premium Scheme,
Agri-environment Scheme or a Sustainable Forest Operation Grant Scheme.
This type of land is counted as agricultural land even if it is not eligible for SFP.
As a result, it is also subject to Cross-Compliance requirements.
Leased land
Make sure that any land taken as conacre (C) and in lease (L) on your FDS is listed
correctly as this will affect eligibility for NICMS and OFS. Land taken in conacre (C)
is not eligible for NICMS and OFS.
If you are leasing land to another farm business we recommend that you seek legal
advice when drawing up the terms of the lease.
Common land
Areas used in common come about because legally a certain group of people (that
is graziers) have the right to graze an area of land and therefore they have to be
allocated notional shares. We view common land as commons under the 1903 Irish
Land Act, commons under the 1925 Church and Temperance Act, commons that are
privately owned with grazing rights and areas used by agreement where there is no
clear legal ownership.
• You should record all the common grazing that is part of your holding at
Columns A - E and column G. If you are using this land to claim SFP you
should record the area at Column I and at Column J for LFACA.
• If you do not know the area you will have, you should check with your local
DARD Direct office for the notional area you have been allocated.
16
Section 5
Shared grazing, multiple claimant fields and field boundaries
Under EU rules, an ‘agricultural parcel’ (that is, a field) is defined as a continuous
area of land, declared by one farmer.
To meet these rules, field boundaries must correspond to the actual physical
features listed on page 18. Fields can no longer be shared unless there is a physical
boundary in place. The field can only be claimed by the farm business that is
undertaking the agricultural activity on it.
Shared Grazing
Previously shared grazing fields had been given a number between 930 and 952
within the Farm Survey Number. Most of these have been renumbered to 870.
Where we have identified that shared grazing exists, we wrote to you to explain
these changes and that all businesses with an interest in a shared field will have to
reach agreement about its future use. It is important that you read the letter carefully
if you had shared grazing on your 2012 Single Application.
Multiple Claimant Fields
DARD field boundaries are mapped to physical boundary features that can be seen
on aerial photography. Details of the types of physical features that we will accept as
a boundary are listed on page 18.
This means that if the aerial photography does not show a physical boundary
separating two or more fields, the fields will have been merged to create a single
larger field. If the fields included in the merge were claimed in 2012 by different
businesses for different schemes we have called the new field a ‘multiple claimant
field’.
A ‘multiple claimant field’ is identified in Column F of the field information table
accompanying your scheme map as ’MERGED-MC’ and the MEA for the field has
been recorded as zero.
To avoid duplicate field claims the field cannot be claimed by anyone until one of the
following requirements has been met:
Action you need to take
All businesses with an interest in a shared or multiple claimant field must reach
agreement about its future use. You must
• Fence off each share of the field. There must be a clear physical boundary
to indicate the part of the field that the farm business is claiming. You
should confirm you have erected a physical boundary (for example, a fence)
and notify us by completing section 2.1 of the LPIS Correction Form; or
17
• All affected businesses agree which farm business will claim the field. If you
are going to claim the entire field, you should calculate the MEA using the
measurements stated in the field information table.
If the field boundaries and/or ineligible features within the field are incorrect
you should complete the appropriate section of the LPIS Correction Form;
or
• All affected businesses agree to legally establish the field as a common.
You will need to send us the legal documentation establishing the field as a
common.
When you have agreed on the way forward, you should inform DARD who will apply
any mapping changes that may be necessary (for example splitting fields) and will
provide you with the MEA for each field. You are advised to take care to avoid a
duplicate claim which may result in penalties being applied.
Physical features accepted as a field boundary
• Permanent fence (including post and wire fence)
• Wall
• Hedge
• Bank
• Metalled road (tarmac, concreted or compacted)
• Edge of a body of fresh water
• Edge of river or stream where the body of water is greater than
2 metres wide
• Sheughs
• High Water Mark Mean Tide (HWMMT)
• International boundary as shown on Land and Property Services (LPS)
(formerly Ordnance Survey NI) map
• Top of cliff or rock face
Features not accepted as a field boundary
• Ownership boundaries which have no physical features
• Temporary boundaries such as electric fences, plough lines or buffer strips
• Marker posts and marker stones
If you require further clarification on this issue please contact your local DARD
Direct office on 0300 200 7848.
18
Section 6
How to complete your SAF 1
For Single Farm Payment (SFP) in order to activate (that is, claim) your payment
entitlements and receive SFP you should complete Section 1. If you do not claim
your SFP you may lose your payment entitlements. These must be activated for
payment at least once every two years.
It is your responsibility to activate your entitlements by submitting an application.
We do not issue a reminder if we do not receive an application from you.
You can also submit your SAF online. For further information about DARD online
services, visit: www.dardni.gov.uk/onlineservices or telephone 0300 200 7843.
SAF 1 Page 1 - Business Details
If you are a NEW Farm Business, you need to be registered with us before your
Single Application can be processed. You need to complete an application for a
DARD Business Identifier (FB 1), if you have not already done so. You can download
an FB 1 Form from the DARD website at www.dardni.gov.uk/fb1-application-fordard-business-identifier or contact your local DARD Direct office.
If you are an existing farm business, your business details are pre-printed on the
Single Application form from our existing records. If any of the business details
shown are incorrect or you want to change the information we hold about your farm
business you should complete a Business Change form (BC1). You should not
amend the details shown on your SAF.
If you need to change the information, you can download a form from the DARD
website at: www.dardni.gov.uk/bc1 or get one from your local DARD Direct office or
from the Business Change Section in Orchard House. Complete and return the BC1
with your 2013 SAF.
As SAFs are now electronically read (scanned), please follow the guidance below
when completing your application.
Please ensure that all writing is legible and within the spaces provided. The example
below shows the type of mistakes you should avoid.
Applications completed as shown below may cause problems at the scanning stage.
19
The 2013 SAF includes information required for different schemes. Some of these
schemes may not be relevant to you. If so, you should not cross through or write
anything on these pages. They should be left blank. The example below shows how
NOT to complete these sections.
When filling out the (X) boxes please make sure that the (X) covers the full size of the
box provided. Please also ensure that the (X) remains inside the box. The examples
below show how NOT to complete these sections.
The barcode is a very important part of the SAF. Please do not mark or attach
anything to this part of the application. The example below shows the type of errors
that may cause problems at the scanning stage
20
SAF 1 Section 1 - Claiming Single Farm Payment (SFP) Entitlements
Activation of SFP Entitlements
To claim Single Farm Payment complete Questions 1 and 2
Question 1
The total area entered at Question 1 should equal the total of Column I of your FDS.
This should be the total area on which you are claiming SFP. You need to declare an
equivalent area of eligible land for each SFP entitlement, or part of entitlement that you
hold.
Question 2
The information shown on the table at Question 2 is taken from our records and
shows the number and type of entitlements you held at 31 January 2013.
Put an ‘X’ in the ‘Yes’ box if you want to activate ALL of your SFP entitlements; or
If you do not want to activate all of your entitlements you should put an ‘X’ in the
‘No’ box and enter the number of Standard and/or Special entitlements that you want to
activate in Column D of the table.
If the entitlements you want to activate as recorded in Column D are of different values,
you will need to tell us exactly which ones you want us to activate. To do this, please
download a Single Farm Payment Entitlement Declaration Form from the Department’s
website or obtain one from a DARD Direct office. Complete and return the form along
with your SAF on or before 15 May 2013. If you do not, we will activate your
entitlements in the order shown in Section 9.
The Department reserves the right to make adjustments to the number and type of
entitlements you hold, or to confiscate entitlements, should this be required under
scheme rules.
If there is no information pre-printed, you should have recently received an entitlement
statement from us. You should use this statement to complete this question if you are
not activating all of your entitlements. If you have not received a statement, you
should contact Entitlements Section, SFP Branch in Orchard House immediately.
If you have recently applied to trade entitlements the information pre-printed on
your form may not be up-to-date. If your trading application has been processed, you
should have received a revised entitlement statement from us. You should use this
statement to complete this question if you are not activating all of your entitlements.
If you have not received a statement, you should contact Trading Section, SFP
Branch in Orchard House immediately.
If for any other reason you think the information that has been pre-printed is incorrect,
you should contact SFP Branch in Orchard House immediately.
21
Note: • You can only activate the number of entitlements for which you have eligible
hectares at your disposal on 15 May 2013.
• For all agricultural land declared on your application, you are responsible for
ensuring that Cross-Compliance rules are respected and the land on which
SFP is claimed, remains in an eligible use for the entire calendar year.
• We will activate your entitlements up to the limit you have given on your
form. For example, if you hold 20 entitlements but only declare 19 ha of SFP
eligible land on your FDS, we can only pay you on 19 entitlements.
SAF 1 Section 2 - Other Aid Schemes
Do not cross through or write anything on these pages if you are not claiming. The
boxes should be left blank.
Less Favoured Area Compensatory Allowances (LFACA) 2014
To claim LFACA 2014, complete Questions 3 & 3.1
You must enter the number of hectares that you want to claim for LFACA at Question
3. The total area entered at Question 3 should equal the total of Column J of your
FDS. If you are using sheep to meet stocking density requirements, you also need to
provide at 3.1 the number of eligible ewes on your holding at the date of application.
If you are not claiming for LFACA 2014, go to Agri-environment Schemes (NICMS
and OFS).
Agri-environment Schemes (NICMS and OFS)
For 2013, NICMS and OFS are not shown on your FDS but you still need to
make a claim for these schemes by completing Questions 4 and 5 and Section
7 of the SAF 1.
Only complete these questions and Section 7 if your NICMS or OFS agreement
started on or after 1 January 2009.
If your agreement started before 31 December 2007, you do not need to
complete a Single Application to claim payment for an Agri-environment
Scheme.
To claim payment under NI Countryside Management Scheme, complete
Question 4 and Section 7
If you want to make a claim for NICMS payment in 2013, you must enter the total
number of hectares claimed at Question 4. You should enter the figure shown for
‘Total NICMS Eligible Area (Total area Classified minus Not Eligible Areas)’ in your
most recent Commitments Schedule. This will be shown at the bottom of the NICMS
Field Data Sheet in your most recent Commitments Scheme as shown in the
following example 22
Not Eligible
Total Area Classified
Total NICMS Eligible Area (Total Area Classified minus Not Eligible areas)
1.50ha
100.00ha
98.50ha
Also, within the NICMS agreement, if you wish to claim for:
Organic Management Option (OMO)
You must enter the number of hectares for which you want to claim at Question 4.1
(use the area of OMO in your most recent Commitments Schedule)
Field Boundary Restoration (FBR)
You must enter the length, in metres, you want to claim at Question 4.2.
You must also complete Section 7, Table A1. The maximum length that you can
claim is shown at ‘Total FBR Allowance’ in your most recent Commitments
Schedule. Please refer to the notes at Section 7 Table A1 for further details regarding
your FBR claim.
Irish Moiled Cattle
You must enter the number of eligible cattle you want to claim for at Question 4.3.
You must also complete Section 7, Table A2. The maximum number you can claim is
shown at ‘Traditional breeds’ in your most recent Commitments Schedule.
Annual Scrub Control, Bracken Control and/or Heather Regeneration
You must enter the number of hectares that you want to claim for at Question 4.4.
You must also complete Section 7, Table A3. The maximum area you can claim is
shown at ‘Scrub Control, Bracken Control, Heather Regeneration’ in your most
recent Commitments Schedule.
To claim Organic Farming Scheme, complete Question 5
You must enter the number of hectares you want to claim under OFS at Question 5.
You should enter the total of the figures shown for ‘Class Total’ in your most recent
Commitments Schedule.
You must also complete Section 7, Question B1.
23
SAF 1 Section 3 - Land use in 2013
Question 6 - Common Grazing
You should declare your common land on your FDS and tell us if this is different to
your allocated area. You should make deductions for ineligible areas.
Enter the notional area for the common grazing to which you have a grazing right at
Question 6. This area should agree with the pre-printed allocation on your FDS.
If we have not pre-printed your notional area allocation on the 2013 FDS, you should
declare all common grazing which is part of your holding at Columns A to E of the
FDS even if you are not using that land to activate entitlements. Also ensure the
land is recorded in the relevant columns G, I and J of the FDS if you are using that
land to claim payment.
If you are not sure of your notional area allocation or you are entitled to an
allocation for common grazing you should contact your local DARD Direct
Office to clarify this before completing your FDS.
You must ensure that the area of common land you declare on your 2013 FDS does
not exceed the area you have been allocated or we may apply an over-declaration
penalty to your claim.
If you have not been allocated a notional area and are using, by agreement, an area
allocated to another farmer you must provide evidence of that agreement with your
FDS.
We may adjust the declared areas once all the 2013 SAF’s containing land in the
same common grazing area have been processed to make sure that the total area of
the Common is not exceeded.
In some instances this may lead to an over-declaration penalty being applied.
Question 7 - Regional Information
Only complete this question if you currently farm in another region of the UK and you
manage that farm as part of the same farm business you are claiming for in Northern
Ireland.
You should mark an ‘X’ to indicate the region(s) that apply to you. If you claimed land
in another region in 2012, you will also receive a 2013 application pack from that
region of the UK. If you do not receive it you should contact SFP Branch in Orchard
House.
Do not cross through or write anything if you only farm in Northern Ireland. Go to
Section 4.
24
SAF 1 Section 4 - Cross-Compliance
Question 8
If some of your land is in a Special Area of Conservation, mark ‘X’ in the ‘YES’ box. If
some of your land is in a Special Protection Area, mark ‘X’ in the ‘YES’ box.
If neither of the above statements are true, mark ‘X’ in the “NO” boxes.
Question 9
If you are carrying out, or intend to carry out, disposal of waste pesticides or their
washings on some of your land, mark ‘X’ in the ‘YES’ box. Please note that disposal
does NOT include spraying washings back onto the target crop or reusing during
them during the next application. If you are disposing, or intend to dispose, of waste
sheep dip on some of your land, mark ‘X’ in the ‘YES’ box.
If neither of the above statements are true, mark ‘X’ in the ‘NO’ box.
Question 10a
If you are spreading, or intend to spread, sludge from a septic tank on some of your
land, mark ‘X’ in the ‘YES’ box, otherwise mark ‘X’ in the ‘NO’ box.
Question 10b
If you have spread in the last 5 years, or it is your intention to spread sewage sludge
on any land within your farm business, mark ‘X’ in the ‘YES’ box, otherwise mark ‘X’
in the ‘NO’ box.
Before disposing of waste biocides (including pesticides such as waste sheep dip)
or plant protection products or their washings, you must obtain a Ground Water
Authorisation from the Northern Ireland Environment Agency and comply with the
conditions of that authorisation.
See contact details at Section 14
SAF 1 Section 5 - Payment of SFP in euro
Question 11
Do not cross through or write anything in this Section if you want to be paid in
sterling. Payments will automatically be paid in sterling and will be made
electronically into your bank, building society or credit union account unless you tell
us you want to be paid in euro.
You must tell us by marking an ‘X’ in the box at Question 11 if you want to be paid in
euro. You must have a separate UK euro bank account. Contact Systems
25
Management Section, Orchard House on (028) 7129 9074 for a UK euro BACS form.
You must complete this question if you want to be paid in euro in 2013, even if you
were paid in euro last year.
• We will not accept requests for payment in euro if there is an outstanding
debt or penalty to be recovered in respect of previous applications.
• The same sterling or euro bank account cannot be used by more than
one farm business.
See Section 10 for further information on payment of SFP in euro.
SAF 1 Section 6 - Agricultural Waste Authorisations
Questions 12, 13 and 14
The Department of the Environment (DOE) is responsible for the Registration of
Agricultural Waste Authorisations - not the Department of Agriculture and Rural
Development (DARD).
The information you provide at Questions 12, 13 and 14 will be passed to the DOE.
The DOE will treat illegible or indeterminate entries as being invalid and you will not be
registered to undertake these activities or to transport waste. You run the risk of
enforcement action if you proceed without the relevant registration.
For further information telephone NIEA direct on 028 9056 9358 or visit the NIEA
website at www.doeni.gov.uk/niea
SAF 1 Section 7 - NICMS/OFS Additional Information
This Section is for additional information needed for NICMS or OFS agreements
which started on or after 1 January 2009.
If your agreement started before 31 December 2007, you do not need to complete
a Single Application to claim payment for an Agri-environment Scheme.
For NICMS, you should tell us if you have not been able to carry out all agreed works,
such as planting wild bird cover, tree planting or not completing the requirement for
Minimum Entry Environmental Benefit (MEEB).
Part A - Northern Ireland Countryside Management Scheme (NICMS)
Table A1 - Field Boundary Restoration (FBR) (Hedges and stone walls)
You must enter details in the table of the FBR you have completed or will have
completed between 1 January 2013 and 31 December 2013. Do not claim for FBR
which you have claimed previously. Do not use this table to claim for Enhancement
Measure Fencing. This claimed on a separate form which has been sent to you. The
maximum length of FBR that you can claim for is noted on your most recent NICMS
schedule and management map. You can find this in your agreement pack or as an
agreement revision.
26
You may make a claim for any amount equal to or less than this maximum allowance
and you may claim for different types of FBR in the spaces provided. You should
also note the location of the work by entering the LPIS Farm Survey Number and
LPIS Field Number relating to the boundary in Columns E and F using a separate
line for each field listed. You should use your new LPIS Field Boundary Map to
identify the LPIS Farm Survey Numbers and LPIS Field Numbers relating to the fields
where Field Boundary Restoration is being claimed.
If you do claim for FBR, you should review the amount of work you have actually
completed on 31 December 2013 and, if necessary, reduce your claim accordingly
by notifying DARD. Note that currently 100% of FBR claims are being inspected.
For more details, see pages 59-60 of the Countryside Management Scheme 20072013 Information booklet.
Table A2 - Irish Moiled cattle
You must enter details in the table of the number of Irish Moiled cattle you are
claiming for within your NICMS for the claim year 1 January 2013 - 31 December
2013. The herd number, the Irish Moiled Cattle Society breed registration number
and number of eligible animals must be given in the table. Eligible animals must be
female and at least 12 months of age at 1 January 2013. We may request further
information to support this claim such as cattle ear tag numbers.
For more details, see pages 91-92 of the Countryside Management Scheme 20072013 Information booklet.
Table A3 - Annual scrub control, annual bracken control and/or annual heather
regeneration
You must enter details in the table of the scrub control, non-native (including
rhododendron) species control, bracken control using a tractor, bracken control
using a knapsack, heather burning and heather flailing completed and to be
completed between 1 January 2013 and 31 December 2013. You should also note
the location of the work by entering the LPIS Farm Survey Number and LPIS Field
Number in Columns E and F using a separate line for each field listed. You should
use your new LPIS Field Boundary Map to identify the LPIS Farm Survey Numbers
and LPIS Field Numbers relating to the fields where annual scrub control, annual
bracken control and/or annual heather regeneration is being claimed.
Payment cannot be processed for a claim of less than 0.10ha for an individual
code in any field.
For more details, see pages 93-96 of the Countryside Management Scheme 20072013 Information booklet.
Part B - Organic Farming Scheme (OFS)
Table B1 - You need to enter the code of your approved Organic Certification Body
and your organic registration number if your OFS started on or after 1 January 2009.
Place an ‘X’ in the appropriate box to confirm that you have a valid Certificate of
Registration and will maintain this certification for the period 1 January 2013 - 31
December 2013.
27
Codes for Organic Certification Bodies
Name of approved Certification Body
Code
Organic Farmers & Growers Ltd
OFGL
Organic Food Federation
OFF
Soil Association Certification Ltd
SACL
Bio-Dynamic Agricultural Association
BDAA
Irish Organic Farmers & Growers Association
IOFGA
Organic Trust Limited
OTL
SAF 1 Section 8 - Declarations and Undertakings
If your application is not signed it will not be accepted.
Parents/Legal Guardians: We will only accept Single Applications from persons
under the age of 18 if the SAF 1 is authorised by a parent or legal guardian. In doing
so the parent or legal guardian accepts the risks, responsibilities and obligations
associated with the business and the relevant schemes covered by the Single
Application, including any breach of scheme rules. Make sure that you have your
application signed by a parent or legal guardian at Section 8 if you are under
18.
We cannot make the Single Application payment into a bank account in the name of
the person who is under 18. Where a legal guardian or parent is taking responsibility
for the business, the bank account should be in the name of that person or in the
name of the business.
Companies: If you are a company, an authorised signatory may apply on behalf of
the company as long as the director has given written authorisation for this. Make
sure that Section 8 of your application is signed by at least one of the company
directors.
Partnerships: If you are a partnership, one of the partners may apply on behalf of
the partnership as long as the other partners have given written authorisation for
this. Make sure that Section 8 has been signed by an authorised partner. If the
joint business is in the name of Mr. and Mrs. either party can sign.
Dual use claim applicants
If you are a dual use claim applicant, you should read carefully the new declaration
added to ‘Declarations and Undertakings’. By signing this you are confirming that a
suitable written conacre agreement is in place and that you will provide a copy if
requested. If no written agreement is provided, or if the agreement does not meet
the Department’s requirements, we will have to hold both the SFP and LFACA claims
until we are satisfied that the eligibility conditions of the respective schemes have
been met.
28
SAF 1 Section 9 - Data Disclosure
Section 9 advises you that we can use the information on your form for legitimate
purposes in line with the Data Protection Act and Freedom of Information legislation.
We are also required to publish the amount of subsidies paid to beneficiaries who
are classed as a legal entity for all payments made from October 2009 and
thereafter. This will include the business name, town and postcode prefix.
SAF 1 Section 10 - DARD Publications
We will use your contact details, as supplied on your application form, to keep you
up to date about a range of Agriculture and Rural Development issues, which may
be of interest to you.
If you DO NOT want your contact details used for such purposes, you will need to
put an ‘X’ in the box at Section 10, otherwise we will automatically include you on
our mailing list. If you wish to receive information by e-mail, you should include your
e-mail address on page 1 of your Single Application.
SAF 1 Section 11 - Nomination of an Authorised Person
If you want to authorise another person to act on your behalf in relation to the
processing of your claim you MUST complete Section 11.
You can only select one level of authority by putting an ‘X’ in the relevant box at
Section 11 (b).
The levels of authority are explained on the SAF 1 and at Section 10.
29
30
0.302
1.232
5.213
3.367
1.243
0.512
0.402
1.634
2.013
3/009/044/6
3/009/044/7
3/009/870/12
3/009/044/10/A
3/009/044/10/B
3/009/044/11/A
3/009/044/11/B
3/009/850/7
3/009/027/8
SCRUB
HARD
SCRUB
Not in Agricultural
use
Not in Agricultural
use
*!
0.13
0.06
0.116
1.232
0.178
0.096
F
11.91
2.01 UNCHANGED
1.44 MERGED - MO
0.40 SPLIT
0.40 SPLIT
1.244 UNCHANGED
3.37 UNCHANGED
0.00 MERGED - MC
0.00 BOUNDARY CHANGE
0.00 DELETED
1.91 BOUNDARY CHANGE
0.84 UNCHANGED
0.14 BOUNDARY CHANGE
0.00 BOUNDARY CHANGE
0.15 BOUNDARY CHANGE
Maximum
Type of Change ApEligible
plied
Area (Ha)
E
-+,"-/3 "-1& ". 0*!"- !"("$ /"! 0/%+-&/3 #-+) /%" +*/-+(("- +# "-
,"- "*/ $" -"!0 /&+* +*(3 ) 3 % 1" ""* ,,(&"! #+- . -0
DA
DA
DA
DA
DA
DA
DA
DA
DA
DA
DA
DA
DA
%&. &. -+2* +,3-&$%/ *! &. -",-+!0 "! 2&/% /%" ,"-)&..&+* +#
+/"
TOTAL AREA (HA) 19.24
1.906
3/009/044/5
1.021
0.141
3/009/044/3
3/009/044/4
0.096
3/009/044/2
TREES
0.153
3/009/044/1
DA
Total Field Land Ineligible Feature
Area (Ha) Type Breakdown (Ha)
D
Field Number
C
B
A
MR JOHN SMITH
BIG HILL FARM
BALLYBACK
CO. DOWN
BT40 0AA
Business Ref: 61000
Applicant Ref: 100000 1999999
INFORMATION ON YOUR DECLARED OR OWNED LAND
'"./35. / /&+*"-3
VERIFIED
I
BALLYMISCAW
BALLYMISCAW
BALLYMISCAW
BALLYMISCAW
BALLYMISCAW
BALLYMISCAW
BALLYMISCAW
BALLYMISCAW
BALLYMISCAW
BALLYMISCAW
BALLYMISCAW
BALLYMISCAW
BALLYMISCAW
BALLYMISCAW
Is
Heather Townland
Present?
H
$" +#
) ,. !+ *+/ +*1"3 ("$ ( +2*"-.%&,
##& " 4 -+2* +,3-&$%/ *! ! /
." -&$%/
UNVERIFIED
VERIFIED
VERIFIED
VERIFIED
VERIFIED
VERIFIED
VERIFIED
VERIFIED
VERIFIED
UNCLEAR COASTAL
UNVERIFIED
UNCLEAR
VERIFIED
Field Status
G
Field Information Table
31
Go to Section 5 for advice on what your need to do in these circumstances.
Only one person can claim on this new field.
• 3/009/870/12 - This field has been merged with another field. Because the field that were merged were claimed in 2012
by different businesses, this field has not been pre-printed on the FDS.
• 3/009/044/6 - as this field has been deleted from our mapping system, it has not been pre-printed on the 2013
FDS.
In our example
Some fields on the field information table may not appear on the field data sheet.
Above is an example field information table. An example of the corresponding field data sheet is on page 34/35.
Your field information table (FIT) was sent out with your new map. It shows the fields that, according to our records, you
declared on your FDS in 2012 or your own.
Field Data Sheet (FDS)
32
STEP 1 Review the fields that have been pre-printed
• You no longer take 3/009/027/8 in conacre. Delete it from your claim by
putting a line through it.
• You are taking field 3/009/123/1 in conacre for 2013. Add it to your form.
• Field 3/009/044/1 was duplicated in 2012. You need to agree who is
claiming the field in 2013. If it is not you - delete the field from your FDS.
STEP 2 Check the Maximum Eligible Area (MEA)
• Check the MEA Column F for each field.
• You think the MEA for 3/009/044/11A is too low because you have
removed some scrub from that field. The MEA should be 0.45ha. You need
to tell us of the change by completing a LPIS Correction Form.
STEP 3 Record the eligible land use code
• Complete column G for each field.
• You only need to record the eligible land from the list at Section 12 of this
Guide.
• You do not need to complete column H if there is only one eligible land use
code for the field.
• If there is more than one eligible land use, you should record each eligible
land use code on a separate line in column G and record the
corresponding area in column H.
• Record all fields in columns I and J to 2 decimal places for example 2.50 ha.
STEP 4 and 5 Complete your claim for SFP and LFACA
• Check your fields for any small ineligible areas that you need to deduct
from the area you are claiming.
• Make sure when you are completing columns I and J that you have
deducted these ineligible areas.
• Field 3/009/044/5 has a small area of scrub of 0.05ha. The area eligible to
claim is 1.86 ha. Record this area in column I and J.
• You have completed a LPIS Correction Form for 3/009/044/11A (step 2
above), so the area you are claiming at column I and J is 0.45 ha.
• Field 3/009/123/1 that you are taking in conacre has an MEA of 1.50ha but
there is 0.20ha of ungrazed heather. Reduce the area you are claiming to
1.30 ha.
33
IACS/2013 Single Application: Field Data Sheet (SAF2)
WARNING: PENALTIES MAY APPLY FOR OVER or NON DECLARATIONS INCLUDING DUPL
Before you complete this form, please read the advice in the
guidance booklet included in your application pack
Field Parcel Information
Farm Survey No.
Columns A to F have
been pre-printed from
the Field Information
Table that was sent to
you with your 2013
Scheme Map.
Fields duplicated in
2012 with another
farm business will be
included in 2013 at
column A-F,
see step 1.
Field No.
A
Total Field
Area (ha)
B
2
Land Status
O = Owned
C = Conacre
L = Leased
C
Land Type
1 = SDA
2 = DA
3 = LL
D
Maximum Eligible Area
E
F
3/009/044
1
0.15
O
DA
0.15
3/009/044
2
0.10
O
DA
0
3/009/044
3
1.14
O
DA
0.14
H
3/009/044
4
1.02
O
DA
0.84
F
3/009/044
5
1.91
O
DA
1.91
F
3/009/044
7
1.23
O
DA
0
3/009/044
10A
3.37
O
DA
3.37
F
3/009/044
10B
1.24
O
DA
1.24
F
3/009/044
11A
0.51
O
DA
0.40
F
3/009/044
11B
0.40
O
DA
0.40
F
3/009/850
7
1.63
L
DA
1.44
A
3/009/027
8
2.01
C
DA
2.01
3/009/123
1
1.89
C
DA
1.50
F
1
2
3
4
5
6
Do not claim more
than the MEA unless
you are sure the MEA
is wrong. Use a LPIS
Correction Form to
tell us of changes to
the MEA, see step 2.
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
• If you are uncertain about any aspect of this Field Data Sheet you should contact
the Department at Orchard House, 40 Foyle St, Derry/Londonderry, BT48 6AT. Telephone 0300 200 7848 for assistance.
34
F
Business Name:
Business ID:
ICATE FIELDS AND OTHER INACCURACIES
2013 Eligible Land Use
Claim Details
Eligible Use
(use code list)
Eligible Area of Field Used
(ha)
Eligible Area
Activated for SFP
Entitlements
Eligible Area claimed for
LFACA 2014
G
H
I
J
FRI
0.15
0.15
HT3
0.14
0.14
FRI
0.84
0.84
FRI
1.86
1.86
FRI
3.37
3.37
FRI
1.24
1.24
FRI
0.45
0.45
FRI
0.40
0.40
ARI
1.44
1.44
FRI
1.30
1.30
I
J
TOTAL
Column G - Enter the
eligible land use code
of the field used. You
do not need to tell us
about ineligible land
use.
Columns G, H, I & J
must be completed
by you. Use blank ink
and write clearly
inside the boxes. Do
not use correction
fluid, see step 3 & 4.
Column H - You only
need to complete this
column if there is
more than one
eligible use in the
field, see step 3.
Total Carried
Forward
Sheet No ............................... of ..............................
Signature ................................................................................................
Form SAF2
35
Section 7
Important dates in the application process
Tuesday 2 April
2013
This is the closing date for the receipt of all applications to
transfer (trade) SFP entitlements to take effect in the 2013
Scheme year.
This is the closing date for all Single Application Forms.
Wednesday
15 May 2013
If you have completed a SFP Entitlement Declaration form
(See Question 2 on SAF 1) you must return this with your
application.
From 16 May to
31 May
Applications already received by us by 15 May 2013 may be
amended to increase the area you have claimed, for
example adding fields, and you will not be penalised.
From 16 May to
10 June 2013
If we receive your application on or between these dates,
you will be penalised. We will reduce your payment 1%
for each working day the application is late (except in
cases of force majeure or exceptional circumstances).
From 1 June to
10 June 2013
Applications already received by us may also be amended
between these dates to increase the area you have claimed,
for example, adding fields, but you will be penalised on
the amended fields. We will reduce your payment 1% for
each working day the amendments to your application
are late (except in cases of force majeure or exceptional
circumstances).
Monday
10 June 2013
From Tuesday
11 June 2013
36
This is the final date for receiving applications or
amendments to your Single Application.
This is also the final date for receipt of SFP Entitlement
Declaration forms (See Question 2 on SAF 1).
We will reject all applications received on or after this date
(except in cases of force majeure or exceptional
circumstances).
This includes applications which arrive with us on
Tuesday 11 June 2013.
Section 8
Information for landowners and tenants on claiming for SFP and
LFACA and other area-based aid schemes
Who is eligible for SFP?
To be eligible to claim payment under the SFP Scheme, you must meet all of the
following conditions:
1. Be a farmer undertaking agricultural activity and have been issued with a
Category 1 Business ID*.
2. Hold payment entitlements and have eligible agricultural land.
3. Ensure that any individual field, or area within a field, you declare to
activate SFP entitlements is at least 0.1 hectares. If you have special
entitlements you can activate these without any land but you must satisfy
the required level of agricultural activity we have told you about.
4. Have the land on which you claim payment at your disposal on 15 May of
the year of the claim.
For further information on business categories you should read Section 7 of
‘A Guide to the Single Farm Payment (SFP) Scheme’ or contact the Business
Change Section in Orchard House. See Section 14 for contact details.
*There are three categories of Business ID but only Category 1 enables the farm
business to hold payment entitlements and submit a SAF.
Landowners
Where a landowner has leased land to another business which the leasee (tenant)
enters into an agri-environment scheme, we would strongly advise that only the
leasee (tenant) should claim SFP or LFACA on that land.
In such cases, it is very unlikely that the landlord would retain sufficient control of the
land to enable the requirements of the SFP Scheme to be met.
Tenants
To claim SFP tenants must:
• have the agreement of the landowner to claim that land;
• have the land at their disposal on 15 May; and
• be undertaking agricultural activity on that land.
If there is any uncertainty about your claim, you may be asked for evidence to show
what agricultural activity you are undertaking on the land. If you cannot satisfy DARD
that you are responsible for undertaking agricultural activity on land you have
claimed for SFP, that land will be removed from your claim and we will consider
whether over declaration penalties should be applied.
37
If you are leasing land or taking land in conacre you should:
1. Check if the landowner is claiming SFP on this land.
2. Check if the landowner allows you to use the land to claim subsidy.
3. If you are claiming LFACA, have a suitable written conacre licence
agreement (for example the RICS model conacre licence agreement).
4. Make sure you get the most up-to-date map from the landowner.
5. If possible, check that the previous tenant is not claiming SFP or LFACA
on this land.
Should I be claiming SFP on the land?
It is in your interests to make sure that you only claim SFP on land that you have the
right to claim, that is at your disposal on 15 May and on which you are undertaking
agricultural activity. Agricultural activity is defined as the production, rearing or
growing of agricultural products including harvesting, milking, breeding animals and
keeping animals for farming purposes or maintaining land in good agricultural and
environmental condition (GAEC).
If you are not undertaking any agricultural activity on land you should not claim it for
SFP. If you do, this may be considered as creating artificial conditions to claim
subsidy and, if we think this is the case, we will carry out further investigations which
will delay your payment. We could also apply penalties.
Land use and SFP
The Land Use codes at Section 12 sets out which land is eligible when completing
your FDS.
Detailed information on land can be found in the updated 2013 version of the ‘Guide
to Land Eligibility’ booklet. This is available on the DARD website
www.dardni.gov.uk/grants-and-funding
The land on which you are claiming must be in an eligible land use for the entire
calendar year (1 January - 31 December) except in cases of force majeure or
exceptional circumstances. See Section 11 for further information.
38
Who is eligible for 2014 Less Favoured Area Compensatory Allowances
(LFACA) Scheme?
LFACA 2014 will be similar to the 2013 scheme. The LFACA 2014 eligibility
requirements are largely unchanged since 2013 and these are set out below.
However there are two changes:
• It has been decided to introduce a 5% check on dual use claims. It is
essential that conacre tenants claiming LFACA have a written conacre
licence agreement which they can produce if requested. Further information
is at Dual use claims in this Section.
• LFACA will now use the same Review of Decisions process as SFP.
The scheme has two parts:
1. An area based payment for eligible hectares of Severely Disadvantaged
Land (SDA) and Disadvantaged Land (DA); and
2. A `cattle bonus` which increases the area based payment for those
producers’ who have 25% or more of their eligible livestock units (LUs)
as suckler cows or heifers.
In short, to claim you must:
• farm at least 3 hectares of eligible forage land in the SDA and/or DA;
• keep enough eligible stock to meet the minimum 0.2 LUs per hectare (ha)
stocking density requirement;
• have the land available and accessible to you and meet the stocking density
requirement throughout the period of 1 April 2013 to 31 October 2013.
• if you are a tenant you should have a written conacre licence agreement;
• meet the Cross-Compliance requirements;
• agree to farm in the Less Favoured Area (LFA) for five years from the first
payment of a compensatory allowance; and
• complete the 2013 SAF 1 and FDS properly.
More detail on the scheme is given in the LFACA Explanatory Notes booklet which
you can read, download and print from our website at www.dardni.gov.uk/grants-and-funding
39
Land use and LFACA
Eligible forage land is land that is in the Severely Disadvantaged Area (SDA) or
Disadvantaged Area (DA) and is declared on your FDS under either FR1 (Grass) or
OT3 (Non-commercial grazed orchards, grazed woodlands or areas in agroforestry).
It must also be available and accessible to you for use for maintaining livestock or
producing a forage crop for the entire 7 month period of 1 April 2013 to 31 October
2013. Codes FR1 and OT3 are eligible under the LFACA scheme as long as the land
is situated within an LFA region.
Dual use claims
A dual use claim is where one individual (typically the landowner) claims SFP in
respect of a field on which a second individual (typically the conacre tenant)
simultaneously claims LFACA.
We consider that, in conacre-like arrangements, a dual use claim is possible,
provided the applicants involved are each able to meet the respective Scheme
conditions. In order to demonstrate that they are meeting the scheme conditions,
applicants should have a written conacre licence agreement.
Where the land is let under a formal, multi-annual leasing arrangement, it is very
unlikely that the landlord would retain sufficient control of the land to enable all the
requirements of the SFP Scheme to be met.
For claims made on the 2013 SAF, it is important that landowners and tenants
agree who has the right to claim and that the applicant can meet all the
conditions for a particular scheme.
We will be carrying out a 5% check on dual use claims received in 2013. As part of
the check the LFACA claimant will be asked to provide a copy of their written
conacre agreement. The SFP claimant will also be informed that a check is being
carried out.
We will withhold payment on both claims until we are satisfied that all the scheme
conditions are being met. If the LFACA applicant cannot supply a copy of a written
conacre agreement showing that the eligibility conditions of the scheme are being
met, over declaration penalties will be applied. Depending on the amount of land
involved the entire claim could be treated as ineligible.
There should be no delay in the processing of claims provided there is a suitable
written agreement in place and a copy provided should the Department ask to see it.
A model of a written conacre licence agreement has been developed by the Royal
Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) working with the Department and the
Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU). It incorporates the information we believe is needed to
allow both farm businesses to demonstrate that they are meeting the conditions of
each scheme and can be downloaded, free of charge, from the RICS website.
www.rics.org/conacre
40
It can be also accessed through the UFU website www.ufuni.org/links.aspx or
printed out for you at your local DARD Direct office.
Duplicate field claims
A duplicate field claim is where the same fields have been claimed under the same
aid scheme by more than one farm business. This is not the same as a dual use
claim.
If a duplicate field situation arises, we will require substantive and clear proof of who
has the right to claim the field. It is important that farmers agree who has the right to
claim payment on individual fields before they submit an application form.
Remember, for 2013 SFP Branch will not be issuing a 'fields not printed' letter to
those producers where an unresolved duplicate field exists on their application.
Unresolved duplicate fields will be pre-printed at Columns A-F on the FDS of all the
businesses on which the field was duplicated in 2012.
The farmer who does not have the right to claim should ensure that the field is
removed from their FDS.
If you require further clarification on the information given in this Section please
contact your local DARD Direct office on 0300 200 7848.
41
Section 9
Specific issues of interest
DARD online services
The Department prefers to receive your Single Application online. Completing your
application online is
• fast and efficient;
• secure
• easy;
• likely to reduce mistakes in your claim;
• designed to highlight errors, which could potentially delay payments with a
traditional paper claim; and
• a service which is available at any time of the day or night during the
application period.
To submit your Single Application online you will need a Government Gateway ID
and password. If you don’t already have these you should contact, in the first
instance, the Department’s online services team on 0300 200 7843 or visit
www.dardni.gov.uk/onlineservices
It is important that you apply for your Government Gateway ID and password
well in advance of the closing date for the receipt of Single Applications on 15
May 2013. You will not be able to access the Department’s online services, including
the Single Application online facility, without them.
Once you have been given your ID and password, you will then be able to access
the full range of the Department’s online services. This includes the facility to track
the progress of your 2013 Single Application even if you didn’t submit it online. If
you have nominated an authorised person to act on your behalf, he/she may also
track your claim to SFP. However, to use this particular service, your authorised
person must be registered with the Government Gateway as an agent.
If, after registering with the Government, you need help in completing your Single
Application online, you should telephone DARD’s SFP Branch on either (028) 7129
0077 or (028) 7129 0068.
You will receive an acknowledgement of your online application. Please keep this
until you have received your payment. If there is a dispute about your application,
you will be asked to provide it.
42
Order of activating your SFP entitlements
If you did not activate all or some of your entitlements in 2012, you must activate
them in 2013 or you will lose them at the end of the 2013 scheme year.
If you do not activate your payment entitlements, they will be returned to the
National Reserve (except in cases of force majeure or exceptional circumstances)
and you will no longer be able to claim payment on these entitlements. If you answer
Yes’ at Question 2 on your SAF, we will activate your entitlements to equal the
number of eligible hectares you have declared at Question 1 on your SAF in the
following order:
1. We will activate those entitlements not activated in the previous year and
which you could lose if they are not activated in the current year. We will
begin with those with the highest unit value.
2. Then we will activate all other entitlements to the limit supported by your
eligible land, again beginning with those with the highest unit value.
If you hold entitlements of different values and do not activate them all in 2013,
we may need to rotate your entitlements and activate those of a lower value
first. This will avoid them being confiscated, but could result in a lower SFP
payment in 2013.
However, if you answer ‘No’ at Question 2 because, for example,
• you would rather receive a higher SFP but have the lower value entitlements
confiscated, or
• for whatever reason, you do not want to activate all your entitlements but
want to decide for yourself which ones you want to activate (for example,
you hold entitlements of different values).
you will need to tell us exactly which entitlements you want us to activate for
you.
To do this, please download a Single Farm Payment Entitlement Declaration Form
from the Department’s website or obtain one from a DARD Direct office. Complete
and return it along with your 2013 SAF, on or before 15 May 2013.
If you answer ‘No’ to Section 1 and do not return this form along with your
application form, we will activate your entitlements on your behalf in the order set
out above.
In November 2012, the Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development issued a
Press Release reminding farmers of the rules governing the activation of SFP
entitlements. A copy of the Press Release is included at Annex 3 of this Guide.
43
€100 minimum payment for SFP
The EU requires us to set a minimum payment level. In Northern Ireland the
minimum payment level prior to deductions is €100. This means that if the total
value of entitlements you claim (activate) is less than €100, the entitlements will not
be considered activated and no payment can be made.
For example, a farmer holds 1 entitlement worth €120.
• If the farmer only activates two thirds of that entitlement (€80), no payment
will be made.
• If the farmer activates the entire entitlement worth €120, but after
deductions the amount payable is reduced to €80, then a payment of €80
will be made.
Entitlements regarded as not activated in 2012 will be lost if they are not activated in
2013. We will return these to the National Reserve and you will no longer be able to
claim payment on them.
You may choose to buy/lease additional entitlements to increase the total value of
entitlements you activate above €100. You will need to ensure you have sufficient
land to activate these additional entitlements. Alternatively, you may choose to sell
or lease your entitlements to another farmer.
Land claimed for SFP under a NIEA designated site
SFP may continue to be paid on land that no longer meets the usual SFP eligibility
requirements because of the implementation of EU legislation on the conservation of
wild birds, natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora, for example, tall heather. The
land may be used to claim your entitlements provided it met the SFP eligibility
requirements and formed part of the area determined as eligible for payment in
2008.
Much of this land will be within a Special Protection Area (SPA), Special Area of
Conservation (SAC) or Area of Special Scientific Interest (ASSI). You will have been
formally notified by the NIEA if your land is in one is these areas and you will already
be aware of the environmental obligations which exist on your land.
There may also be land outside of the above designated sites which contains priority
species and habitats and maybe used to claim entitlements. If you think that your
land contains priority species and habitats, but you have not received any formal
notification from the NIEA, you should contact Richard Weyl on 02890 569 684.
44
On-the-spot (OTS) land eligibility checks (inspections)
How OTS land eligibility checks are selected
In accordance with EU legislation, 5% of the applications submitted must be
selected for an on-the-spot land eligibility check. Between 1% and 1.25% of these
are selected randomly, with the remaining 3.75% - 4% being selected using a riskbased methodology.
For example, in the 2012 SFP scheme year, 1 in every 80 applications received was
selected randomly (approximately 475 farm businesses) and approximately 1,425
farm businesses were selected using a risk-based methodology.
We do not control the random selection so there is always the potential that a farm
business could be randomly selected year after year. Similarly, it can happen that a
farm business selected under the risk-based methodology can also have had a land
eligibility check completed in previous years.
The risk-based methodology is based on information provided on the single
application and on claim history. A risk weighting is attributed to each of the risk
criteria and claims that accrue the highest total score are subject to an OTS check.
The same risk criteria and risk weightings are applied to all claims.
Most of the risk factors applied are based on those suggested by the Commission
and may include
• amount of aid involved
• number of agricultural parcels
• changes from the previous year (for example fields that have been mapped
for the first time in 2013)
• findings of checks made in past years.
On-the-spot land eligibility checks are considered by the EU as a key control in our
implementation of the Single Application and once a farm has been selected for
inspection, it cannot be removed from that selection.
Who undertakes the OTS land eligibility checks for SFP?
The land eligibility check can be undertaken by DARD staff who will complete a
physical OTS check, which involves inspecting all fields owned or claimed by the
applicant.
An OTS land eligibility check can also be completed using remote sensing
techniques, which involves interpreting ortho images produced from satellite and /or
aerial photographs of fields in relation to a claim. Such checks identify ineligible
features such as buildings, laneways and other land that is not eligible to be claimed
for SFP. This also includes dense and scattered patches of scrub, whin, bogs and so
on.
45
What if I am selected for an OTS land eligibility check?
By submitting a Single Application, you agree to permit the Department to carry out
an OTS land eligibility check (with or without prior notice at any reasonable time).
If a physical check is being completed an inspector will endeavour to contact you
prior to the check usually by phone advising you of the date and time. The check
may go ahead if contact cannot be made.
In extenuating circumstances the date of the check can be re-arranged at the
discretion of the DARD inspector, however it must be within the time period as
outlined in the EU Regulations.
If you are selected for a land eligibility check, it is not necessary for you to walk the
fields with the inspector. However, you should arrange to be present at the end of
the inspection to discuss the findings and sign off the inspection report. If you are
unavailable, please nominate a representative in your place to sign the inspection
report in your absence. No payment will be made if you, or others acting on your
behalf, prevent an on-farm inspection from being carried out.
It the check is being undertaken using Control with Remote Sensing (CwRS) you will
receive no notification. However in the event of a field visit being required to confirm
details, you will be contacted by DARD staff.
Once the check has been completed and the results processed you will be sent a
report detailing the findings.
Further information on how and when checks are carried out and how OTS checks
relates to SFP and other area based schemes can be found on our website
www.dardni.gov.uk/grants-and-funding
Cross-Compliance responsibilities
Cross-Compliance obligations apply to all the schemes on your SAF.
All agricultural land within a business (irrespective of whether it is used to activate
SFP entitlements or claim payment under another aid scheme) must be maintained
in accordance with the Cross-Compliance Statutory Management Requirements
(SMRs) and must be kept in good agricultural and environmental condition (GAEC).
Although land used to activate entitlements needs only to be at your disposal on 15
May of the year of the claim, you must meet the Cross-Compliance rules for the
whole calendar year. This applies even if you do not occupy the land for the whole
year.
There is one exception to this rule which is when land is transferred from or to
someone who has also submitted an application in that calendar year.
46
Example 1
You take on some agricultural land on 10 April 2013.
You declare this transferred land as part of your holding on your 2013 SAF. If the
transferor (the person you took the land from) does not submit a 2013 SAF for the
rest of their agricultural land, you will be liable for Cross- Compliance on the
transferred land for the whole of the calendar year, including the period between 1
January 2013 and 9 April 2013 when you did not occupy the land.
If the transferor submits a 2013 SAF for the rest of their agricultural land, they will be
liable for Cross- Compliance on the transferred land from 1 January 2013 until 9
April 2013. You will be liable for Cross-Compliance on the transferred land from 10
April 2013 for the remainder of the calendar year.
Example 2
You transfer some agricultural land on 14 July 2013 to another farm business
This land was declared on your 2013 SAF. The transferee (the person you transferred
the land to) has not submitted a 2013 SAF. You will be liable for Cross-Compliance
on the transferred land for the whole of the calendar year, including the period
between 14 July 2013 and 31 December 2013 when you are not occupying the land.
If the transferee has submitted a 2013 SAF for the rest of their agricultural land, they
will be liable for Cross-Compliance on the transferred land from 14 July 2013 until 31
December 2013. You will be liable for Cross-Compliance on the land up to the date
of transfer that is, from 1 January 2013 until 13 July 2013.
You should carefully consider the terms of any contractual arrangements
between you and the transferor or transferee if you are transferring land (either in
or out) during the year. This is so you can make sure that your interests are
protected and you can produce documentary evidence regarding responsibility for
the land if either a Cross-Compliance breach occurs or access to inspectors is
prevented before or after the land transfer. Similarly, you should bear in mind the
risks of not having contractual arrangements agreed and in place.
In the case of livestock, the keeper of the animals is responsible for ensuring
compliance with the animal related Cross-Compliance requirements.
Further information on Cross-Compliance (including GAEC) can be found in the
booklets:
1. Cross-Compliance Verifiable Standards Summary (revised 1 January 2013)
2. Cross-Compliance Verifiable Standards (Full Version)
Both of these booklets are available on the DARD website at:
www.dardni.gov.uk/Cross-Compliance
47
Section 10
General points to remember
Nomination of authorised person
You can nominate another person to fill in the SAF and act on your behalf in relation
to the processing of your claim so long as they have been properly authorised. There
are four levels of authority and you should only select one of these options at
Section 11 (b) on your SAF.
The levels of authority are:
1. Complete and submit the SAF on your behalf only; or
2. Complete, submit the SAF and allow the authorised person to discuss your
claims with the Department; or
3. Complete, submit the SAF, discuss your claims with the Department and
allow the authorised person to make changes where scheme rules permit,
for example, change or withdraw information on your behalf; or
4. Complete, submit the SAF, discuss your claims with the Department, and
allow the authorised person to make changes where scheme rules permit
and view your payment details online.
When you nominate someone to act on your behalf, his or her authorisation to do so
will remain in place until you tell us otherwise. Therefore, you will only need to
complete this section this year if you want to nominate a different person or
change the level of authority you gave the person you nominated previously. In
signing this section you are doing so on behalf of all the members of your business
and indicating that all members agree.
We will consider any information provided by the person you authorise to have been
provided by you and we may reduce your claim if we find the information is incorrect
or scheme rules have not been met.
The Department will not be liable for any direct or indirect loss or liability to you as a
result of the authorised person acting on your behalf.
Amendments, corrections or withdrawals of application forms
Payment in euro
SFP is the only scheme which can be paid in euro. All other schemes will be paid in
sterling.
EU legislation states that the deadline for deciding if you want to be paid in Euro is
the closing date of the Single Application. For 2013, this is Wednesday 15 May.
The only exception to this is a late claim received on or before 10 June 2013 which
would incur late claim penalties (except in cases of force majeure or exceptional
circumstances).
48
Once the request to be paid in euro is made you cannot revert to payment in sterling
during the 2013 scheme year.
Amendments to areas you have claimed
You can correct your application form at any time by removing or reducing areas you
have claimed as long as you let SFP Branch in Orchard House know. This must be
done:
• in writing (using a SAF 3, which is included in your application pack),
• before we tell you about an OTS check and
• provided we have not already told you about an error in your application.
If we have already told you about a problem with your application or if we have given
notice that an OTS check will be carried out and this OTS check then reveals an
irregularity, you cannot amend, withdraw or change the part of the application
affected by the irregularity.
You can amend your application to increase the area you have claimed or the value
of your claim up to and including 31 May 2013 without penalty, providing you
have not been notified of an inspection or told of an error in your application.
For example, you might add fields if you are using them to support a claim for SFP.
You can also make changes regarding use and aid scheme for fields already
included in the application.
For 2013, between 1 June and 10 June inclusive, if we receive your amendment to
increase the area you have claimed or the value of your claim, we will reduce your
payment relating to the fields in question by 1% for each working day the
amendments are late, except in cases of force majeure or exceptional
circumstances.
Applications cannot be amended after 10 June to increase areas claimed, or the
value of the claim, except in cases of force majeure or exceptional circumstances.
If you notify us of an error after that date, we will correct your application and you
will not be penalised but you will not receive payment on the adjusted area.
If a different area to the one you notified in your amendment is found at an OTS
check, you may be penalised.
Withdrawal of land from your claim
You can choose to withdraw all or part of your application for payment from any aid
scheme at any time, as long as we have not told you about any mistakes in your
application or told you of an OTS check which subsequently reveals errors in
respect of the withdrawn information. You must make your application to withdraw
in writing (using Form SAF 3) to SFP Branch in Orchard House.
If any amendments, corrections or withdrawals of application forms affects the
MEA, you must also complete a LPIS Correction Form and send it to your local
DARD Direct office.
49
Obvious error
In accordance with EU rules, we can sometimes adjust your application in cases of
obvious error. Decisions on whether to do this depend on the overall facts and
circumstances of each individual case. We must be satisfied of the obvious nature of
the error involved.
As a general rule an obvious error has to be detected from information given on the
SAF. Not all mistakes can be described as obvious errors and some errors may
result in penalties being applied to your claim.
Cross-border applications
(i)
Holdings within other United Kingdom regions
If you have land in more than one region of the United Kingdom which is managed
as the same farm business, you will have to apply to only one Paying Agency to
receive payment for your entire holding. You should apply to the Paying Agency
responsible for the region where most of your holding is located. See Section 14 for
contact details.
If most of the land relating to your business is located in Northern Ireland, the Single
Application pack supplied by us will include a Single Application Form, Field Data
Sheet and Applicant Guide from other regions in which you farm. You should fill in
the forms from the other regions along with the Northern Ireland Single Application
Form and return them all to SFP Branch in Orchard House.
If most of the land relating to your business is in another region of the United
Kingdom with some land in Northern Ireland, you should receive an application
pack from the Paying Agency in the other region. This pack will include the
Northern Ireland forms and guidance.
Note:
If you have land in another region of the United Kingdom and this land is managed
as a separate farm business from the business in Northern Ireland, and you
established entitlements separately, in both regions, in 2005, then these rules will not
apply. You will have to complete separate forms in both regions.
(ii)
Land in the Republic of Ireland
It is not possible to use land that is situated in the Republic of Ireland (ROI) to
activate entitlements in Northern Ireland.
50
Penalties
We will check all application forms to ensure they have been completed correctly and
that the eligibility rules of the schemes are being met.
If you do not meet the scheme rules, or we find an inaccuracy we will apply penalties.
A false declaration made deliberately or recklessly may also lead to criminal
prosecution.
Examples of circumstances when you may be penalised include:
• Late applications (received after 15 May 2013).
• Amendments to your applications between 1 June and 11 June 2013
inclusive.
• Reductions relating to breach of Cross-Compliance requirements.
• Under or over-declaration of land (including duplicate fields and declaring
ineligible land).
• Intentional over-declaration.
In limited circumstances, we may accept that you did not meet the requirements of the
Single Application because of events outside of your control. This is known as force
majeure or exceptional circumstances. Where this is the case, we will not normally
apply penalties.
Full details of penalties, with examples, can be found in ‘A Guide to the Single Farm
Payment Scheme’ and is available on our website at www.dardni.gov.uk/grants-andfunding
It is in your interest to make sure your claim is accurate and that you do not claim on
any land that is not eligible.
Check all the information on your FDS is correct and remove ALL ineligible areas.
You should tell us about any changes to the MEA by completing a LPIS Correction
Form (and a SAF 3 if you are reporting a change after you have sent in your SAF1).
If we find you deliberately claim on land that is clearly not eligible for the scheme you
have applied for, we may apply an intentional over-declaration penalty. This could
result in loss of all payment for one year or, in more severe cases, in the following three
years as well.
Modulation
Modulation is a mechanism that deducts money from farmers’ Single Farm Payment
and makes it available for rural development schemes.
In October 2012, the Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development, affirmed her
support for farmers who are being affected by rising production costs and feed prices
and announced that there would be no voluntary modulation deducted from 2013 SFP
payments.
51
The compulsory modulation deductions that will apply in 2013 are shown in the table
below.
Value of Claim (€)
Compulsory
Modulation
Voluntary
Modulation
Total
Up to €5,000
0%
0%
0%
€5,000+ - €300,000
10%
0%
10%
€300,000+
14%
0%
14%
Modulation deductions will be made from your SFP payment after the application of
any penalty deductions (other than Cross-Compliance) that may be necessary.
If you have entitlements in Northern Ireland and also in another region (Scotland,
England or Wales) then we will calculate the percentage of SFP you are due for each
region. This will be based on your total payment due. We will apply this percentage
at every stage (tier) of the modulation calculation. The rate applicable for each region
will be applied to their own apportioned payments.
52
Section 11
Force majeure and exceptional circumstances
The EU Regulations allow for us to consider cases of force majeure or exceptional
circumstances as a reason for not submitting or amending your application on time.
Force majeure or exceptional circumstances is defined as ‘unusual circumstances,
outside the control of the trader, the consequences of which, in spite of the exercise
of all due care, could not have been avoided except at the cost of excessive
sacrifice’.
You must tell the Department in writing of the force majeure or exceptional
circumstances within ten working days of the date of being in a position to do so
before a case of force majeure or exceptional circumstances can be considered.
You will have to prove that, despite taking all reasonable measures to counteract
their effects, the force majeure or exceptional circumstances prevented you from
meeting your obligations. You must be able to provide information, supported by
documentary evidence, of the steps you have taken to prevent or lessen the effect of
these circumstances.
It is important that you do not wait until the ‘Review of Decisions’ stage to notify the
Department of force majeure or exceptional circumstances, as this will normally be
considered to be outside the 10 working day notification period.
Land taken out of production due to force majeure or exceptional
circumstances
Force majeure is not new and applies to all land based subsidy schemes (SFP,
LFACA and agri-environment). Cases are determined against their particular
circumstances and on an individual basis. The most recent ‘large scale’ example of
force majeure was its use, for SFP and LFACA purposes, after the gorse/heath fires
in 2011.
You should always notify the Department at the earliest possible opportunity of any
force majeure situation that renders a portion of land out of agricultural use, even if
only for a short time.
So, if for reasons of force majeure or exceptional circumstances some, or all, of your
land is not available to you on 15 May, or is ineligible for SFP at any time during the
year, you should tell us when you submit your claim or within ten working days
of the date of being in a position to do so.
If you do not, and we later discover that the land was taken out of production
at any time during the year, we may consider that there is an over-declaration
of land and apply a penalty to your claim.
53
When you tell us of a ‘force majeure’ you will be asked to complete a FML1
application form giving details and providing evidence of the circumstances. We will
look at each request individually and where we agree that force majeure or
exceptional circumstances have been demonstrated, we will not normally apply
penalties.
For us to consider force majeure or exceptional circumstances, the land must
be unavailable to you on 15 May in the scheme year or ineligible for SFP for at
least some part of the calendar year. The land must be able to be returned to
agricultural use or become eligible for SFP. You must provide clear documentation
indicating when the land is likely to come back into agricultural use.
If your land is ineligible for SFP for the whole year, and is removed permanently
from agricultural use, we will not consider force majeure or exceptional
circumstances. Should this happen, you will have to obtain other eligible land to
claim payment of SFP in such circumstances.
Land temporarily removed from agriculture
Examples of eligible force majeure or exceptional circumstances events will be those
that temporarily remove the land from the farmer’s agricultural business.
These include:
• Land vested by a utility for work where the land is returned to agricultural
use after the work is complete, for example, pipe laying.
• Eligible land which has been damaged as the result of an event,
for example, gorse wildfire or floods.
Force majeure or exceptional circumstances will be considered if you have signed
an agreement, or are similarly committed to permitting work to take place but the
consequences of not doing so would be that a vesting order would be applied. You
will be required to provide evidence of when you were made aware of the work or
the intention to apply for a vesting order.
If your land has been purchased as part of a vesting order we may accept force
majeure or exceptional circumstances in relation to your claim for SFP for that year
only.
If your land has been burned maliciously then you would need to provide evidence
that you reported this to the Police Service of NI or the NI Fire and Rescue Service.
Land permanently removed from agriculture
The payment of SFP in relation to land becoming ineligible is dependent on whether
the land is permanently removed from agriculture or whether it will be returned to
agricultural use at some point.
54
If you have land that is permanently removed from agricultural use, for example, land
that is actually taken up by new road, it is possible to pay SFP on this area in the
year in which the land is taken out of agricultural use. After this you need to make
other arrangements to have eligible land to support activation of your entitlements.
If the land is to be returned to agricultural use it is possible to claim payment using
the land during the period it is not in agricultural use. Such areas would normally be
areas set aside for storage of materials and equipment used in the construction of
road works and then returned to you for agricultural use. However, the period of
removal from agricultural use would have to be reasonable, for example, 2 years.
Road Service Guidelines
The Roads Service is an Executive Agency within the Department for Regional
Development. It has produced guidelines, with the assistance and input from the
Ulster Farmers’ Union, to inform and advise farmers and landowners of the
development processes that Roads Service normally adopts when bringing forward
proposals for a major road improvement scheme.
These guidelines can be found at: www.roadsni.gov.uk/roadimprovements
Ash Dieback and force majeure
If trees are being removed by the Department, and we have evidence to support
this, any eligible land used to support a SFP or LFACA claim that was subsequently
found to be affected by the removal of trees could continue to be treated as eligible
in the year of their removal or destruction.
All the above rules apply and, again, you should notify the Department if your land
has been affected by ash dieback when you submit your claim or within ten working
days of being in a position to do so.
Should you consider force majeure applies to your land because of ash
dieback, gorse fires or any other unforeseen event you are advised to contact
SFP Branch immediately for advice.
55
Section 12 Eligible land use codes for Column G
Code Description
Forage
FR1
Grass (grass for grazing, hay and silage, rough grazing, grazed heather,
sainfoin, clover, lucerne and forage vetches).
FR2
Dehydrated fodder eligible for dried fodder aid.
Arable
AR1
Cereals, oilseeds or linseed, Spring barley, Winter barley, Spring wheat,
Winter wheat, oats, mixed corn, rye, grain maize, oilseed rape, linseeds,
triticale, sunflowers, sweetcorn.
AR2
Whole crop cereals/silage maize (cereal or maize for animal consumption).
AR3
Other fodder crops (fodder beet, fodder rape, fodder kale, stubble turnips,
swedes and any other crop used for fodder not stated elsewhere. If you have
wild bird cover and are claiming under an Agri-environment scheme, use this
code).
AR4
Flax (flax which is eligible for the Fibre Aid Processing Scheme).
AR5
Hemp - not grown as an energy crop. If you are growing hemp you must
obtain a licence and include it with your Single Application.
Horticulture
HT1
Fruit (strawberries, rhubarb, raspberries, mulberries, blackberries,
loganberries, currants (black, red and white), cranberries, bilberries and other
fruits of the genus Vaccinium and tomatoes).
HT2
Vegetables (cabbages, cauliflowers, kohlrabi, kale and similar edible
brassicas; carrots, turnips, salad beetroot, salsify, celeriac, radishes,
Jerusalem artichokes and similar edible roots; cucumbers and gherkins;
leguminous vegetables such as peas and beans; lettuce (Lactuca sativa) and
chicory (Cichorium spp.), cress and other salad vegetables; alliaceous
vegetables such as onions, shallots, garlic, leeks and chives; aubergines,
edible mushrooms, marrows, pumpkins, spinach, cress, fruits of the genus
Capsicum or the genus Pimenta; herbs such as fennel, parsley, chervil,
tarragon and sweet marjoram (Majorama hortensis or Origanum majorama),
basil, coriander and dill; globe artichokes and asparagus).
HT3
Potatoes (seed and table potatoes).
HT4
Horticultural food crops grown under cover (crops listed at HT1 - HT3
grown under cover on land which is eligible for the Single Farm Payment that is, land kept in GAEC). Land under concrete floors is NOT eligible.
56
Set-Aside
SA1
Land Voluntarily Set-aside.
Protein Crops
PC1
Peas, Field beans, Sweet lupins or other protein crop.
Energy Crops
EC1
Short rotation coppice covered by CN code 0602 90 41,
Alder, Birch, Hazel, Ash, Lime, Sweet chestnut, Sycamore, Willow, Poplar.
EC2
Hemp grown as an Energy Crop.
EC3
Any other agricultural crop grown for the purpose of producing energy.
Other
OT1
Flowers.
OT2
Lawn Turf.
OT3
Non-commercial grazed orchards, grazed woodlands or areas in
agroforestry.
Grazed woodland or grazed orchards with more than 50 trees per hectare
may be considered eligible if:
• there has been a history of acceptable grazing practice and there is
sufficient forage and evidence of acceptable grazing;
• grazing is not damaging the ecological value of the site, for example by
significantly reducing the number of existing tree seedlings and saplings
or by reducing the occurrence of grazing sensitive plants.
If there are single trees, a line of trees or a small clump of trees with grazing
available right up to the trees, you do not need to make a deduction for the
tree trunks.
Agro-forestry is having agriculture and tree growing on the same land unit.
OT4
Ornamentals and Nurseries.
(Areas of young woody plants grown in the open air for subsequent
transplantation).
Note: concrete areas, or hardcore, on which potted nursery plants,
ornamentals, polytunnels etc. are placed are not eligible for SFP.
Use OT7 for such areas.
57
OT5
Commercial Orchards (commercial orchards used to grow top fruit for
example, apples and pears).
OT9
Land that was eligible, claimed and on which SFP was paid in respect of
2008 scheme year and is subsequently (after 31 December 2008) converted
to forestry under an EU scheme remains eligible for the duration of the
forestry scheme.
OT10 Land that was eligible, claimed and on which SFP was paid in respect of
2008 scheme year and is subsequently (after 31 December 2008) planted
with trees under an EU agri-environment scheme, remains eligible for the
duration of the EU agri-environment scheme.
OT11 Land in an EU Forestry Scheme on which SFP was paid in 2008 in respect of
set-aside entitlements remains eligible for the duration of the forestry
scheme.
OT12 Land in an EU agri-environment Scheme on which SFP was paid in 2008 in
respect of set-aside entitlements remains eligible for the duration of the EU
agri-environment scheme.
58
Section 13
Standards of service
We are committed to maintaining and improving the quality of service that we
provide in the management of all the schemes under the Single Application process.
Completion of your application form
To help you complete your 2013 SAF we have issued you with a scheme map and
field information table. As set out in Section 2 of this Guide, because the majority of
fields have been changed we have not pre-populated Columns G to J of the FDS.
This would usually have been pre-populated with last year’s (2012) claim
information, which is no longer appropriate in the majority of cases. Columns G to J
of the FDS need to be completed by you for your 2013 claim.
On receipt of your application form
We will do our best to:
• write and tell you we have received your posted application form within 10
working days of us receiving it. However, at busy times this may be longer.
• give you a receipt where applications are hand delivered to Orchard House,
a local DARD Direct Office or Sub-Office* and follow this up with a full
acknowledgement letter within 10 working days.
If you do not receive an acknowledgement letter within 3 weeks of posting your form
you must check with SFP Branch in Orchard House.
*Our Sub-Offices have limited opening times. Always check with your local DARD
Direct Office to make sure the sub-office will be open if you want to hand deliver
your application form there.
Checking your application form
Complete your application form accurately and send it to us as early as possible. We
will check it to make sure it has been completed correctly. If there is a problem with
your form, we will return it to you at the earliest possible date we can. Make sure you
re-submit it before the application period closes to avoid penalties being applied or
your claim being rejected if it is late.
If your application form is received on time we will write and tell you what area of
your land is eligible for payment. These letters will be issued around
October/November of the scheme year other than where claims involve an
unresolved query or where an on-farm inspection has still to be completed,
A percentage of applications will get an on-farm inspection.
59
Phone calls
We will try to answer phone calls within 6 rings. At busy times, for example, when
payments are being processed, it may take longer.
We will try to answer phone queries immediately or, if a more detailed investigation is
required, within two working days, unless we tell you otherwise.
You should contact us in writing if you are having difficulty getting an answer to your
query.
Penalties
Under EU legislation, we must apply penalties to applications that breach the rules of the
Single Application Scheme.
If your application is penalised we will write and explain why. If you do not understand
how or why the penalties have been applied, you should phone the person whose name
is at the bottom of your letter. If you are not happy with the explanation, you can have our
decision reviewed at a formal appeal. You must do this within 42 days of the date on our
letter or we cannot consider your appeal.
In limited circumstances, we may accept that you did not meet the requirements of the
Single Application Scheme because of events outside of your control. This is known as
force majeure or exceptional circumstances. Where this is the case, we will not normally
apply penalties.
Formal review of decisions
If you are not happy with the explanation, or consider that our decision regarding your
SFP is incorrect, you have the right to have our decision reviewed at a formal appeal. You
must do this within 42 days of the date on our letter or we cannot consider your appeal.
Examples of the types of decisions that may be reviewed include:
• Financial penalties which result in a reduction or non-payment of SFP.
• Reductions in eligible land areas after an inspection.
• Recoveries, in whole or part, of any payments already made.
Details of the review procedure are contained in the booklet ‘Review of Decisions
Procedure’ which is available on request from SFP Branch. See Section 14 for contact
details.
Payments
Under EU legislation we can only make payments on applications that have been fully
checked and verified as correct.
The EU rules permit us to commence full rate payments for the 2013 scheme year for SFP
from 1 December. In November 2013, we will publish a payments profile setting out our
most up-to-date payment processing targets.
60
Data Protection and Freedom of Information
The Department takes data protection and freedom of information issues seriously. It
takes care to ensure that any personal information supplied is dealt with in a way
which complies with the requirements of the Data Protection Act 1998. This means
that any personal information you supply will be processed principally for the
purpose for which it has been provided.
However, the Department may also use it for other legitimate purposes in line with
the Data Protection Act 1998 and Freedom of Information legislation.
These include:
• administration of the Common Agricultural Policy and other aid schemes;
• the production and safety of food;
• management of land and other environmental controls;
• animal health and welfare;
• compilation of statistics;
• disclosure to other organisations when required to do so; and
• disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 or the Environmental
Information Regulations 2004 where such disclosure is in the public interest.
In accordance with EU legislation, the Department must also publish the amount of
subsidies paid to beneficiaries who are classed as a legal entity, for all payments
made from October 2009 and thereafter. This will include the business name, town
and postcode prefix.
Complaints about the quality of service
The Department has introduced a standard procedure for handling complaints about
the quality of our service. Tell us if you do not receive the quality of service you
expect and we will fully and fairly investigate your complaint. You can do this in
person, by letter, fax or phone.
First of all, speak or write to the person who has been dealing with your application
or with your local Office Manager. Give them as much information as possible and
they will try and settle your complaint quickly. If you do not get a satisfactory answer,
you will be given the name of a senior manager who has not been involved in the
matter. You can contact them if you want your complaint to be taken further.
A complaint form is available from your local DARD Direct Office or on the DARD
website at: http://www.dardni.gov.uk/index/contact-us
61
Section 14
Contact details
Useful addresses and phone numbers
If you need any help or advice in relation to your application please contact SFP
Branch in Orchard House or your local DARD office.
The addresses and phone numbers are shown below.
Single Farm Payment Branch
Orchard House
40 Foyle Street
Derry/Londonderry
BT48 6AT
LFACA Section
Orchard House
40 Foyle Street
Derry/Londonderry
BT48 6AT
Fax: (028) 7131 9800
DARD Grants and Funding: Tel: 0300 200 7848
Single Farm Payment (SFP), land eligibility, LFACA, farm, fisheries,
forestry and rural development payments and grants, pre 2005 schemes.
Website Address: www.dardni.gov.uk/index/grants-and-funding
E-mail Address: gspd.sfps@dardni.gov.uk
DARD Helpline: Tel: 0300 200 7852
or e-mail dardhelpline@dardni.gov.uk
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Local DARD Direct offices
Armagh
A:tek Building
Edenaveys Industrial Est.
Newry Road
Edenaveys
Armagh
BT60 1NF
Magherafelt
Units 36-38
Meadowlane Shopping Centre
Moneymore Road
Town Parks of Magherafelt
Magherafelt
BT45 6PR
Ballymena
Kilpatrick House
38-54 High Street
Townparks
Ballymena
BT43 6DP
Mallusk
Castleton House
15 Trench Road
Grange of Mallusk
Mallusk
Newtownabbey
BT36 4TY
Coleraine
Crown Buildings
Artillery Road
Millburn
Coleraine
BT52 2AJ
Newry
Glenree House
Unit 2, Springhill Road
Carnbane Industrial Estate
Carnbane
Newry
BT35 6EF
Downpatrick Rathkeltair House
Market Street
Demesne of Down Acre
Downpatrick
BT30 6LZ
Newtownards 2B Portaferry Road
Commons
Newtownards
BT23 8NN
Dungannon
Crown Buildings
Thomas Street
Drumcoo
Dungannon
BT70 1HR
Omagh
Enniskillen
DARD Direct
Inishkeen House
Killyhevlin
Enniskillen
BT74 4EJ
Sperrin House
Sedan Avenue
Lisnamallard
Omagh
BT79 7AQ
The telephone number for all Grants and Funding enquiries at
DARD Direct Offices is 0300 200 7848
63
Other contact points:
Countryside Management
Development Branch
Lindesay Hall
Loughry Campus
Dungannon Road
COOKSTOWN
BT80 9AA
College of Agriculture, Food
and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE)
Organic Development Advisor
Greenmount Campus
45 Tirgracy Road
Muckamore
ANTRIM
BT41 4PS
The phone number for Loughry Campus and CAFRE is 0300 200 7841
Email: cmbenquiries@dardni.gov.uk
Forest Service
Afforestation & Plant Health Branch
Room 26
Dundonald House
Upper Newtownards Road
Ballymiscaw
BELFAST
BT4 3SB
The phone number for the Forest Service is 0300 200 7847
Email: customer.forestservice@dardni.gov.uk
Other sources of advice:
Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA)
Land and Resource Management Unit
Klondyke Building
Cromac Avenue
Gasworks Business Park
Lower Ormeau Road
Belfast, BT7 2JA
Telephone Numbers
General Enquires: 028 9056 9360
Waste Management Exemptions: 028 9056 9359
Registration of Carrier’s Queries: 028 9056 9360
Hazardous Waste Section: 028 9056 9710
64
Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU)
475 Antrim Road
BELFAST
BT15 3DA
Tel: 028 9037 0222
Fax: 028 9037 1231
Email: info@ufuhq.com
NI Agricultural Producers’ Association (NIAPA)
15 Molesworth Street
COOKSTOWN
BT80 8NX
Tel: 028 8676 5700
Northern Ireland Agricultural Consultants Association (NIACA)
35 Main Street
DROMORE
Co. Tyrone
BT78 3AE
Tel: (028) 8289 8179
GB Paying Agencies
Rural Payments Agency for England
Reading HQ
Kings House
33 Kings Road
Reading
RG1 3BU
Tel: 0118 958 3626
Fax: 0118 959 7736
Scottish Government, Rural Payments and Inspection Directorate
SFP & Support Schemes Section
Room 220
Pentland House
47 Robb's Loan
EDINBURGH
EH14 1TY
Tel: 0131 244 4488
Email: SFPMailbox@scotland.gsi.gov.uk
Welsh Assembly Government, Department for Rural Affairs
Rural Payments Division
Ffynnon Las
Ty Glas Avenue
Llanishen
Cardiff
CF14 5EZ
Tel: 029 2075 2222
Fax: 029 2068 1381
65
Annex 1
Types of ineligible features
Category of ineligible
feature shown in
Column D of your field
information table
Types of ineligible features within each
category (see Guide to Land Eligibility
for further information).
% area of
the feature
that is
ineligible
HARD
All buildings, glasshouses, polytunnels,
yards, areas of hardstanding, roads,
laneways, railways, airports, recreational
areas, quarries and beaches.
100
ROCK
Rock where the area is greater than 0.1ha
(1000m²).
100
Watercourses greater than 2 metres wide
and occupying an area greater than 0.1ha
(1000m²).
100
Bogs, swamps, reed beds, ponds, lakes,
bodies of water occupying an area greater
than 0.1ha (1000m²).
100
Other ineligible land where the area is
greater than 0.1ha (1000m²). This is land
that is capable of being used for
agricultural activity but according to the
aerial photography has been abandoned.
For example - fields adjacent to
development sites.
100
Areas of scrub greater than 0.1ha
(1000m²) with a density of 5% or less.
2.5
Areas of scrub greater than 0.1ha
(1000m²) with a density between 6% and
20%.
13
Areas of scrub greater than 0.1ha
(1000m²) with a density between 21% and
50%.
36
Areas of scrub greater than 0.1ha
(1000m²) with a density greater than 50%.
100
WATER
NOT IN AGRICULTURAL
USE (NAU)
This is land which, from
the aerial photograph,
does not appear to be
used for agricultural
purposes
INELIGIBLE
VEGETATION
INELIGIBLE BOUNDARY Whin hedges greater than 2 metres wide
100
INELIGIBLE HEATHER
Areas of ineligible heather greater than
0.1ha (1000m²).
100
TREES
Area of trees greater than 0.1ha (1000m²).
100
66
Annex 2
Press release on dual claims
Press Release of 12 December 2012
O’Neill announces conacre agreement plans for dual use claims
Agriculture and Rural Development Minister Michelle O’Neill today announced plans
to introduce an enhanced control framework to manage dual use claims.
Dual use is the terminology applied where one individual - typically a landowner claims Single Farm Payment (SFP) in respect of a parcel of land on which a second
individual - typically a conacre tenant - simultaneously claims the Less Favoured
Area Compensatory Allowances (LFACA).
Minister O’Neill said the decision to introduce the control framework, requiring a
written conacre agreement, was supported in the recent public consultation and is in
response to EU Commission auditors’ criticism.
She said: “I have decided that a suitable written conacre agreement will now be
required between all Single Farm Payment and Less Favoured Areas Compensatory
Allowance Scheme claimants where a dual use claim exists. This new requirement
will be in place for the 2013 Single Application process"
The Minister continued: “In order to minimise the potential administrative burden on
dual use claimants arising from this new requirement, my officials have been working
with the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors and the Ulster Farmers’ Union to
adapt the Institute’s Model Conacre Licence Agreement. A copy of this agreement
will be made freely available and I would strongly recommend all those who will be in
a dual use situation in 2013 to make use of it.
“It is extremely important that all those in a dual use claim situation put a suitable
written conacre agreement in place as soon as possible. In future, failure to produce
a written agreement, when requested to do so, could result in the LFACA payment
being refused and a penalty for over-declaration being considered. In addition, the
absence of such an agreement could raise doubts about the legitimacy of the
corresponding SFP claim. Using the RICS model agreement is the best way of
meeting these new requirements and protecting your payments in 2013."
RICS Northern Ireland Director, Ben Collins, said: “RICS first created the RICS
Model Conacre Agreement in 2005 to deal with some of the issues raised by the
introduction of the Single Farm Payment, which was perhaps the biggest change in
agriculture for some 30 years. It has proved to be a valuable tool in ensuring all
parties involved in a conacre agreement understand their rights and obligations.
Working with DARD and the UFU, we have updated the agreement and it has
undergone a public consultation to ensure it is as robust and as user friendly as
possible. We are very pleased that DARD has agreed to accept the RICS Model
Agreement as a means of demonstrating that the required controls are in place in the
case of dual use claims.
67
Annex 3
Press release on SFP Entitlements
1 November 2012
O’Neill: protect your Single Farm Payment entitlements
Agriculture and Rural Development Minister, Michelle O’Neill today reminded farmers
of the rule governing the activation of Single Farm Payment (SFP) entitlements.
Every farmer has to have an entitlement for each hectare of eligible land on which
they wish to claim SFP. The EU regulations require farmers to activate each of their
SFP entitlements at least once every two years. If the entitlements are not activated
as required, the unused entitlements may be taken from the farm business.
Urging farmers to make sure they complied with the EU requirement, the Minister
commented: “In these challenging economic times, it is especially important that
farmers maximise their payment of SFP and take any appropriate steps to preserve
their full entitlement in the future. My Department will be writing to farmers over the
coming days to remind them to check that they are activating each of their SFP
entitlements at least once every two years.”
The Minister added that the vast majority of recipients of the reminder letter will not
lose any entitlements as the Department automatically activates those entitlements
which farm businesses could lose if they are not activated in 2013. She said: “When
farmers receive these letters they should check their own individual circumstances
and satisfy themselves that they are complying with the rule about activating their
entitlements. As long as they declare enough eligible hectares to support their SFP
claim, my Department will, where possible, automatically activate for them
entitlements that might be at risk in 2013.”
Farmers who do not expect to have enough eligible land to activate the entitlements
not activated in 2012 may wish to consider transferring these entitlements to
another farm business which could activate them in 2013.
68
Annex 4
Terms of Reference
DARD
Department of Agriculture and Rural Development
SFP
Single Farm Payment
LFACA
Less Favoured Area Compensatory Allowances
Scheme
SAF 1
Single application form
FDS (also known as SAF 2)
Field Data Sheet
SAF 3
Single application amendment form
(for use after application has been submitted)
MEA
Maximum Eligible Area
LPIS
Land Parcel Identification System
LPIS Correction Form
You must complete a LPIS Correction Form to
amend the MEA on your FDS
GAEC
Good Agricultural and Environmental Condition
NIEA
Northern Ireland Environment Agency
RICS
Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors
NICMS
Northern Ireland Countryside Management Scheme
OFS
Organic Farming Scheme
FB1
New farm business form
BC1
Change of business details form
OTS
On-the-spot controls (inspections)
UFU
Ulster Farmers’ Union
NIAPA
Northern Ireland Agricultural Producers’ Association
NIACA
Northern Ireland Agricultural Consultants’
Association
DOE
Department of the Environment
69
Annex 5
List of other information guides available
List of other information guides available
Further information can be found in the following Guides. These are available on the
DARD website at www.dardni.gov.uk/grants-and-funding
1. Guide to Land Eligibility (including 2013 Update)
2. Guide to the Single Farm Payment Scheme.
3. Less Favoured Area Compensatory Allowances (LFACA) Scheme 2013
Explanatory Notes.
4. Countryside Management Scheme 2007 – 2013 Information Booklet.
(this booklet does not relate to agreements that started before 31
December 2007).
5. Organic Farming Scheme Information Booklet 2007 – 2013.
6. Cross-Compliance Verifiable Standards Summary
(revised 1 January 2013)
7. Cross-Compliance Verifiable Standards (Full Version).
These are available on the DARD website at:
www.dardni.gov.uk/Cross-Compliance
8. Transfer of Single Farm Payment Entitlements Guidance Booklet
70
ISBN 978 1 84807 372 2
DMS 12.13..187