Tree Planting and SFP

In Northern Ireland, agri-environment schemes aim to increase the area of new broadleaf woodland by providing financial assistance for planting native trees in ungrazed grass margins. These small areas of farm woodland provide important wildlife corridors and enhance the landscape character of the countryside.

Are you one of the 1900 farmers who have agreed to plant native trees on approximately 440 ha of ungrazed grass margins during 2006 and 2007 as part of your Countryside Management Scheme or Environmentally Sensitive Areas Scheme undertaking? It may be possible to have your Single Farm Payments (SFP) entitlements consolidated against a smaller area of agricultural land.

The facility to consolidate is to ensure that, by planting native trees on ungrazed grass margins, you are not placed in a position whereby you do not have sufficient land to activate all your entitlements. The consolidation procedure will reduce the number of your entitlements but increase their unit value so that your total SFP remains the same. The limit on consolidation is 50% of the original number of entitlements you have been allocated. For example, if you have originally been allocated 50 entitlements, you cannot consolidate to any lower than 25 entitlements. Any entitlements you use for consolidation will be restricted for 5 years from 15 May 2007. Therefore you will have to claim them in each year for 5 years and you will not be able to transfer them unless by way of inheritance or anticipated inheritance.

If you have sufficient other land on your holding to activate all your entitlements, consolidation would not be considered necessary. This includes land which you own but have decided to lease/let in conacre to/from another producer. You will be expected to use this land to activate your entitlements. Land on which consolidation is requested must have been in an agricultural use, and be eligible for Single Farm Payment before it was planted in woodland. To be eligible you must plant the trees after the end of your declared 10-month period for the scheme year.

If you wish to consolidate your Standard Entitlements or require information on your eligibility to apply for consolidation you should contact the Single Farm Payment Helpline in Orchard House on Tel: 028 7131 9900.