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A decision needs to be made on whether to freeze basic payment entitlements at their current values or continue the final two steps to the regional flat rate, a senior DAERA official has said.
Minutes of the latest departmental board meeting were published this week and include notes from a presentation made by DAERA’s head of food and farming Norman Fulton.
“He advised that a decision on whether to continue towards flat rate or leave rates unchanged for the 2020/2021 years was now needed,” the document reads.
The fifth step of seven for transitioning entitlements to the NI average of €330/ha took place in 2019.
The minutes of the DAERA meeting state that if the process of moving towards the flat rate is to continue in 2020, new legislation will be needed.
“He [Fulton] noted that any decision would be one for a minister to make,” the document reads.
DAERA officials are now planning to launch a consultation on the issue in preparation for a decision to be made by a future agriculture minister, or presumably by an NI Secretary of State if Stormont is not restored in time.
SHARING OPTIONS: