Beith commits to helping farmers secure payments
BERWICK MP Sir Alan Beith is asking local farmers to get in touch if they have not received their single farm payment from the Rural Payments Agency (RPA), so that he can step in and help.
Many farmers in Northumberland began receiving their Single Payments in December, when the European Commission’s payment window opened.
Sir Alan wants to hear from local farmers, both those who have and who have not received payments, so that he can monitor the success of this year’s payment round.
The Liberal Democrat MP has previously criticised the RPA after a series of cases of maladministration that left some farmers waiting months or even years for their single farm payment.
In a written ministerial statement this week, the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) announced: “On December 3 2012 the Rural Payments Agency paid more than £1.38 billion to more than 95,000 farmers, meeting its target for the end of December 2012 on the first banking day of the payment window.
“This equates to 84.6 percent of the estimated fund value and 91.4 percent of customers, and represents the best ever performance on the part of the Agency. This is excellent news for English farmers and for the wider rural economy.”
In response, Sir Alan said: “Many farmers rely on their single farm payment to keep them farming, producing food and protecting our countryside. Our farmers are the stewards of our landscape and making them wait months and years for the payment is wrong. I want to help any farmer in the constituency who feels that they have had to wait too long to receive their payment. I am committed to do all I can to help them.”
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Weather for Berwick-Upon-Tweed
Thursday 20 June 2013
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 11 C to 19 C
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