With one week left to complete 2018 Single Application Forms (SAF), NFU Scotland is encouraging crofters and farmers to prioritise filling out their forms before the 15 May deadline.
The online application process has seen significant improvements in recent years and the clear majority of applications are now made online. Scottish Government has confirmed that, when compared to the same date in 2017, online SAF submissions already received are approaching 10,000. However, a further 7,000 to 8,000 SAF forms – whether completed on line, on paper or through an agent – have still to be submitted in the coming days.
A combination of catching up with spring work, lambing and calving means that many farmers and crofters will have many other priorities to focus on, but the Union is urging applicants to crack on and complete their SAF as soon as possible.
Applicants are reminded that last week, the Union and Scottish Government successfully lobbied for a one-off derogation from meeting the Crop Diversification (three-crop rule) element in the Greening requirements. However, other elements of Greening, including Ecological Focus Areas (EFA), remain and applicants are reminded of the need to include EFA maps with SAF applications.
And the Union warns that, unlike previous years, there is no likelihood of Europe granting an extension to the application period this year so midnight on 15 May is the deadline.
Jonnie Hall, NFU Scotland’s Director of Policy commented: “With a week to go, it seems that the IT system is coping well with the current volume of applications, but a busy seven days lies ahead.
“More than half the expected number of applications have already been successfully submitted, and many more are already on the system in draft.
“I appreciate that farmers and crofters are stretched right now and playing catch up because of the poor spring weather. However, for the vast majority of farm businesses, completing SAF can be the most important days’ work in the year.
“I would urge anyone, whether aiming to complete their own SAF online or filling out the paper version, to prioritise this important task in the next few days.”
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Contact Bob Carruth on 0131 472 4006