DARD making progress on farm nutrient applications

Additional funding cover for the Farm Nutrient Management Scheme (FNMS) is beginning to make an impact on remaining Scheme applications.

In June, the Agriculture Minister, Michelle Gildernew MP MLA, announced that she had secured additional funding cover for the FNMS which would enable the Department to continue to process Scheme applications.

Since then, the Department has been pressing ahead with approving applications and has progressed a first tranche of almost 800 applications. These have now either had an initial farm visit by an inspector or have been referred to CAFRE advisers.

The Department aims to progress as many of these pre-approval inspections as possible and to issue the corresponding approvals by September. At that stage the second tranche will receive initial visits. The third tranche will receive their initial visits about November.

Where possible the pre- approval inspection has been completed during such visits or a date set for that inspection. Farmers who applied during the period to 16 March 2006, should ensure that they have, or seek, any necessary approvals from DOE Planning, NIE or the Environment and Heritage Service, as soon as possible.

Any FNMS applicant who wishes to withdraw their application can do so. The Department asks such applicants to advise their local County Office. An applicant may reduce the storage capacity for which they applied providing that the revised capacity meets the minimum requirement. For cattle that is 22 weeks.

The Department reminds those who last year received approval to proceed with building work, that such approvals are subject to a time limit. The Department will consider extension but in granting that it will need to be assured that work will proceed quickly.

To meet the EU deadline of 31 December 2008 for getting work done, the Department is giving inspection priority over the next nine months to processing approvals. As a consequence there will be delay in inspecting claims for grant payment under the Scheme. Farmers are advised to allow for such delay in making their financial arrangements.

Officials met recently with representatives of the Ulster Farmers Union (UFU) and the Northern Ireland Agricultural Producers Association (NIAPA) to discuss these arrangements.

Notes to Editors

1. On 12 June 2007, Michelle Gildernew announced a new nitrates funding plan. This press release is available on the DARDNI website .
2. DARD plans to process the remaining 2,800 applications in three tranches of 800, 1000 and 1000. The objective is to issue remaining approvals by end-March 2008.
3. Media queries to DARD Press Office 028 9052 4619.
4. Out of office hours please contact the Duty Press Officer via pager number 076 9971 5440 and your call will be returned.