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Countryside Management Scheme and Organic Farming Scheme Payments to commence in July

Payments for the new Countryside Management Scheme (NICMS) and Organic Farming Scheme (OFS) for 2010 will start to issue in early July 2011.
~ Friday, 10 June 2011

A spokesperson for the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD) said: "We are currently carrying out NICMS and OFS inspections, and in-line with European Union ruling, we will issue payments once all inspections are completed. This means we anticipate that NICMS and OFS payments will begin to issue in early July 2011.

"We realise that this is slightly later than last year, and apologise for any inconvenience this has caused.

"DARD's Countryside Management Unit is employing the maximum possible resource to get the 2010 claims inspected and paid as soon as possible. Annual payments for the previous Countryside Management Scheme and Environmentally Sensitive Areas Scheme are continuing throughout the year."

Notes to editors:

  1. The new Countryside Management Scheme and Organic Farming Scheme is funded under the NI Rural Development Plan 2007– 2013. There were 915 participants who claimed their payments on the 2010 Single Application Form.
  2. Agreements for the previous Countryside Management Scheme (CMS) and Environmentally Sensitive Areas (ESA) Scheme were signed prior to 2007 and payments are claimed annually around the anniversary date of the agreement commencing. There are approximately 11,400 participants in the CMS and ESA Scheme.
  3. All media queries should be directed to the DARD Press Office on 028 9052 4619 or email mailto:pressoffice.group@dardni.gov.uk. Out of office hours please contact the duty press officer via pager number 07699 715 440 and your call will be returned.