The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) has reminded farmers who have an Environmental Farming Scheme (EFS) agreement that they must submit their claim for payment on the 2020 online Single Application.
Claims can be submitted from 08 April 2020 as follows:
- For Wider Level agreements effective from 01 July 2017, 01 January 2019 or 01 January 2020
- Higher Level agreements from 01 January 2018, 01 January 2019 or 01 January 2020.
You should claim for all the work you have done or intend to do in accordance with your agreement(s) between 1 January 2020 and 31 December 2020.
While the vast majority of claims will appear on the Single Application after the 08 April, a small number will not appear until after the 22 April. Those affected by this late population will be contacted directly by DAERA.
You do not need a separate claim for EFS. There is a section specifically for EFS on the online Single Application and you must complete this section to claim your EFS payment. You should also complete the Land Details Section of the Single Application regardless of whether or not you wish to claim for the Basic Payment Scheme.
It is important that you make sure your claim is as accurate as possible. This may include reducing areas to reflect ineligible features in fields. You may also need to reduce the lengths of linear options such as hedging or fencing to match the amount you have actually completed and similarly for capital items like gates and posts. If you are claiming for Irish Moiled Cattle, ensure your livestock unit calculations are correct and include the ear tags of all eligible animals.
If you claimed for a Capital Item or a Non-Productive Investment (NPI) in year 1 of your agreement for which payment has been made, you are still required to maintain and claim these Capital Items/NPIs in years 2 to 5 of your EFS Scheme.
The closing date for the 2020 Single Application is midnight 15 May 2020. If it becomes clear, after you have submitted your Single Application, that you will not complete all of the EFS work claimed for, you can make changes and resubmit up to 09 June 2020 without penalty. After that you can use an EFS SAF3 Amendment Form (as you would for Basic Payment Scheme) to reduce your claim, unless we have notified you of an inspection before you submit a SAF3.
Access advice and guidance in making your EFS claim on the Single Application via:
- the DAERA Website, go to the “Quick Links” and access through the link “Environmental Farming Scheme (EFS)”
- call the Single Application Advisory Service on 0300 200 7848
- use the convenient web chat facility within the applicationemail: areabasedschemes@daera-ni.gov.uk.
Our advisers will help you with any queries about your application or the schemes.
Government Gateway
Check you have access to DAERA Online Services to prevent any delay with your 2020 Single Application. If you need help contact your local DAERA Direct Office on 0300 200 7848 or 0300 200 7840.
Notes to editors:
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