{"id":46976,"date":"2014-09-01T14:42:42","date_gmt":"2014-09-01T14:42:42","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/?guid=a2a7d764f170546e580c2e8d6983fdea"},"modified":"2014-09-01T14:42:42","modified_gmt":"2014-09-01T14:42:42","slug":"press-release-vital-greening-advice-available-for-farmers-at-tillage-live-2014","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/?p=46976","title":{"rendered":"Press release: Vital greening advice available for farmers at Tillage Live 2014"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Farmers attending the Tillage Live 2014 agricultural event in Gloucestershire next week can talk with Common Agricultural Policy (CAP<\/abbr>) experts on how new European \u2018greening\u2019 environmental measures will affect them.<\/p>\n

The latest Defra Common Agricultural Policy (CAP<\/abbr>) leaflet is available at the event, held at the Down Ampney airfield near Cirencester on Wednesday 10 September. <\/p>\n

The leaflet gives important information to allow farmers to prepare for next year\u2019s crop, and the Rural Payments Agency (RPA<\/abbr>) will have experts on hand at the show to help answer any questions.<\/p>\n

In 2015 the Single Payment Scheme (SPS<\/abbr>) will be replaced by the Basic Payment Scheme (BPS<\/abbr>). As part of BPS<\/abbr>, farmers must follow the new greening rules or risk losing about 30 per cent of their total EU payment. <\/p>\n

Under the new CAP<\/abbr>, farming, wildlife, rural businesses and the wider economy in England are set to receive \u00a315 billion in funding from 2014 to 2020.<\/p>\n

RPA<\/abbr> External Relations Director Arik Dondi said:<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople are encouraged to come along to the stand, speak to our CAP<\/abbr> experts and pick up a copy of the latest CAP<\/abbr> leaflet, which is also available to everyone on www.gov.uk. <\/p>\n

\u201cIt includes updates on what we know so far about the new schemes, what they may mean for farmers and of course more information on the greening rules.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf farmers are going to claim BPS<\/abbr> it\u2019s important they start thinking about the greening rules now, in case they have to change anything on their holding.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have included as much information as we can in this leaflet. We don\u2019t know all the details about greening yet, but the leaflet will be useful if you\u2019re a farmer, an agent or an agronomist.\u201d<\/p>\n

Defra, working with the RPA<\/abbr>, Natural England and the Forestry Commission, is determined to implement the CAP<\/abbr> in a way that is as simple, affordable and effective as possible.<\/p>\n

From next year the way farmers, land managers and agents will apply for schemes and claim CAP<\/abbr> payment is changing. Paper applications will be replaced by the new online CAP<\/abbr> Information Service. <\/p>\n

Nearly 70 per cent of SPS<\/abbr> 2014 applications were made online. From next year all applicants for the new CAP<\/abbr> schemes will need to be registered on the CAP<\/abbr> Information Service.<\/p>\n

The RPA<\/abbr> will keep up-to-date information available through the GOV.UK website at www.gov.uk\/cap-reform<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Ends\u2026<\/p>\n

Background<\/h3>\n

\nCAP<\/abbr> Information Service<\/h4>\n

The CAP<\/abbr> Information Service will be the new online application and payment service for new CAP<\/abbr> schemes. It is being built with the help of customers; their feedback is creating a simpler, more user-friendly service.<\/p>\n

The service will be introduced gradually, initially with small groups of customers, and on an ongoing basis over the summer and autumn. Customers will be contacted directly and asked to register onto the CAP<\/abbr> Information Service from late October onwards. Customers will be able to register, check their details are up to date and familiarise themselves with the service before the end of 2014. The RPA<\/abbr> will be in contact with customers when the service is ready.<\/p>\n

There will be various stages in applying for BPS<\/abbr>: it is not a one-off application, but a process in a series of steps. <\/p>\n

More and more government services are moving online. CAP<\/abbr> is one of the first to move online and will cost taxpayers \u00a3154m to implement, a significant saving on the \u00a3600m spent on previous services over the last nine years.<\/p>\n

Extra help<\/h4>\n

All applications for the new CAP<\/abbr> schemes will have to be made online from 2015. For SPS<\/abbr> 2014, nearly 70 per cent of applications were made online.<\/p>\n

We understand that some customers can\u2019t get online, or don\u2019t have access to a computer or the skills to use one. We will provide a range of additional support to those customers, which we\u2019re calling \u2018extra help\u2019.<\/p>\n

We are working to identify those customers most likely to need the extra help. We will be communicating directly with them over the coming months to help them get the appropriate support, for example through new Digital Support Centres where some customers will be able to get face-to-face help to use the CAP<\/abbr> Information Service. The RPA<\/abbr> will contact customers when the service is available to use.<\/p>\n

CAP<\/abbr><\/h4>\n

Under the new CAP<\/abbr>, which comes into effect from 2015, farming, wildlife, rural businesses and the wider economy in England are set to benefit from \u00a315 billion in funding.<\/p>\n

Defra is developing CAP<\/abbr> schemes to reflect the new requirements including those relating to greening, the active farmer test, hill farmers and young farmers and a new online service to help everyone who wants to apply for CAP<\/abbr> funds to do so in a quick and simple way.<\/p>\n

Defra, working with the RPA<\/abbr>, Natural England and the Forestry Commission is determined to implement the CAP<\/abbr> in a way that is as simple, affordable and effective as possible.<\/p>\n

At each step of the countdown, information will be made available to help people understand how the new CAP<\/abbr> will affect them, and what they need to do, and by when, to move as smoothly as possible to the new schemes and online service. <\/p>\n

GOV.UK<\/h4>\n

The CAP<\/abbr> Reform section<\/a> of the GOV.UK website provides a single point of access to further guidance on CAP<\/abbr>. The CAP<\/abbr> Reform Countdown symbol is being used to flag up important information about CAP<\/abbr> Reform. Farmers and land managers will see this on webpages and other documents in coming months.<\/p>\n

As decisions are made this information will be: <\/p>\n