Basic Payment Scheme Update August 2014 August 2014 | Page 2

Basic Payment Scheme
Welcome to our Summer Update on the Basic Payment Scheme.
We have deliberately delayed issuing this publication until we could provide you
with sufficient information to enable you to make informed decisions on your
farming operations. Whilst we are still awaiting a number of key decisions to be
announced; where a decision has yet to be made we have provided our opinion
as to the direction we expect DEFRA to take.
It is an easy line and one I am sure you have heard before, but the Basic Payment
Scheme is anything but basic. The introduction of a new and multifaceted IT
system, the Active Farmer Test, Greening and Degressivity see the creation of a
significantly more complicated scheme than the Single Farm Payment to which
we had all become accustomed. Perhaps the most significant change is early
planning is now essential. The decisions you are making today will affect your
eligibility for next year’s claim.
We make no apology for the amount of information we have included in this
briefing, we believe it all to be relevant and of significance. However, rather
than trawling through the details we would encourage you to join us at one
of the free seminars we are running in your area. These seminars have been
specifically designed to last no more than two hours and will enable you to leave
with a clear understanding of the rules surrounding the Basic Payment Scheme
and the Greening requirements that are specific to your holding.
We will be issuing further guidance in the coming weeks as and when further
key decisions are made. If you would like to receive these updates, or attend one
of our seminars, please contact a member of our team.
We look forward to helping you steer your way through the challenges and
changes that lie ahead.

Guy Coggrave
Managing Director