She writes:
As we move into the last month before the BPS application deadline, now is a good time to remind yourself of some key dates.
The deadline for cross border claimants that need to submit their claims to Wales or Northern Ireland was 15 May. If this deadline applied to you, call Rural Payments Wales on 0300 062 5004 or if in Northern Ireland on 0300 200 7843, to find out about the late application provisions.
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May 15 is also the date you must have land at your disposal to claim BPS in 2015 and the date you use to base the land use code on when filling out column C7 on the BPS application form.
New May 2015 guidance update
The RPA have published a further short update, available on the Gov.uk site here. Here’s what you need to know:
1. The update confirms the position on grass margins in agri-environment schemes. In essence, margins remain arable as long as they are one of the listed agri-environment scheme options.
2. Areas of game cover/wild bird cover can be coded with the main land use of the parcel, providing it doesn’t make a difference to crop diversification thresholds and you don’t wish to use them for EFA.
3. The update provides further clarification on how to prove someone is a ‘young’ farmer.
4. The RPA has provided some further examples of when you can use a buffer strip towards your EFA, explaining that the buffer strip must be in or next to an arable parcel but the watercourse that it is protecting doesn’t need to be in the same parcel as the EFA buffer strip.
5. The update confirms that there is no difference between fallow land for EFA or crop diversification, other than the amount of time the fallow must be maintained for.
Amending your application – Do it quickly to avoid a penalty
If you want to make changes to your submitted application you have until July 10.
However, you will have a one percent penalty applied to the land parcel which the change relates to for each working day late it is after June 15.
Therefore, if you need to make any changes do so as soon as possible.
More BPS help from the NFU: