BPS recipients to be named

Information about the recipients of farm support payments will continue to be publicly available in the UK, guidance from DAERA has confirmed.

EU legislation was introduced in 2014 which requires member states to publish details of CAP payment recipients. This year’s Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) guidance states that this legislation has been retained in UK law following Brexit.

“Data will be published for all beneficiaries on a searchable website and will include the name and locality of the beneficiary and details of the amounts and schemes for which subsidy has been paid,” the guidance reads.

Same as last year

The booklet also confirms that BPS entitlement values in 2020 will remain the same as last year, meaning the move to the flat rate has stopped.

Each farmer’s entitlement values are still given in euros on DAERA online services, but the option to be paid in euro will no longer be available. Last year’s conversion exchange rate (€1 = £0.89092) will be used in 2020 to convert payments from euro to sterling.

Avian influenza in NI

Avian influenza has been confirmed in 11 poultry units in NI, a DAERA spokesperson has said.

All confirmed cases are the low pathogenic H6N1 strain of avian influenza, which is classified as a non-notifiable disease.

Since 2 January 2020, there have been 23 suspected cases of bird flu reported to DAERA.

“Avian influenza has been ruled out in 11 cases. Tests are ongoing for the remaining site,” the department spokesperson said.

The non-notifiable status of the H6N1 strain means that de-population of infected poultry units is not compulsory, but compensation is not available for producers that cull birds.

Read more

No new laws on import standards

Discounts on bulk ear tag orders