Aerial photographs and guidance notes in the post to farmers this week

Editorial Department • Published 7 Apr 2011 09:30 0 Comments

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Farmers are beginning to receive their aerial photographs of their farms and a booklet,"Guide to Land Eligibility," DARD announced this week.

Many farmers have already received their 2011 SAF (Single Application Form) packs. The aerial photographs are of land claimed in 2010.

A Departmental spokesman said: "We want farmers to have the best possible information available when completing their 2011 application for Single Farm Payment. It is important that they only claim for eligible land, and the photographs and booklet will assist in identifying land that may not be eligible.

"Later this year farmers will receive a new map. In the meantime, farmers should make appropriate deductions for ineligible land from their 2011 claim, by walking their fields and consulting the photographs, and they should inform the Department of mapping changes using the forms provided."

The spokesman continued: "The Department will take account of these notifications when preparing the new maps. As it is not realistic to complete this work in time for the 2011 application process, the Department will not issue new maps at this stage but will take the notified changes into account during 2011 inspections.

"We have issued around 85,000 aerial photographs, and our quality control system has shown that in a small percentage of cases printing errors meant that only the red outline of fields were shown and not the underlying photograph. Any farmer who receives one of these blank photographs or one that appears to be incorrectly printed should phone the Grants and Funding helpline on 0845 30 44 508 and quote their Farm Business Identification number. DARD staff will be able to print a new copy of the aerial photograph and send it to the farmer."

DARD issued 85,000 aerial photographs and is aware that approximately 200 aerial photographs may have printed incorrectly. The accompanying letter has a helpline number added, which recipients are encouraged to telephone if the photograph does not appear to be correct.

Anyone who receives a blank photograph can request to have a new aerial photograph printed in a DARD Direct Office when they provide their business Identification number.

If the farmer prefers to have an aerial photograph produced in the same format as the posted photograph, it will be printed and posted out the next day from Belfast.

This article appeared in Impartial Reporter 07 Apr 11

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