The Department has reminded farmers of their responsibility to only establish and activate entitlements on eligible land included on the 2015 Single Application Form.

It is an important issue this year as existing entitlements were abolished at the end of 2014, and the area declared this year will determine the number of entitlements held.

If, at inspection, DARD finds that ineligible land has been used to establish new entitlements, the entitlements on that land will be lost – there is no mechanism to re-calculate the value of entitlements on to a lesser area as in previous years.

The advice from DARD is for everyone to walk their land before completing the SAF. It points out that the maximum area declared on the latest map may not be accurate, particularly in hill areas where it is difficult to establish using aerial photography whether heather is eligible and being effectively managed. The same applies to areas of ineligible rush.