Applications for the above scheme for England opened on 24th April 2017, and are now open for Northern Ireland too from 9 May 2017. The deadline for applications to both schemes is 31 .May 2017.
If you supplied up to and including 1 million litres (or kilograms equivalent) for the year ended 31 March 2016, and are still milking now, you are eligible to apply to the scheme. The total fund for England is £8.5 million, and Northern Ireland is £4.1 million*. The scheme will provide a one off payment to eligible farmers who choose to apply. Payment rates depend on the number of applications received, and are pro rata per litre supplied, capped at 500,000 litres.
The application forms are available here –
England
Northern Ireland
Cross border farmers may also be eligible to apply, depending on where their land lies.
Completed forms should be emailed (or posted if email is not available) together with proof of production (milk statements) as soon as possible.
*Northern Ireland scheme value of £4.1 million is being spent across a range of measures, with the amount of funding remaining from the Northern Ireland Exceptional Adjustment Aid (EAA) allocation.
Pig producers can apply to this fund too – the Pig Industry Competitiveness Scheme. This scheme will cover the cost of in-feed medication for pig-herds and blanket treatment of sows to help producers control endoparasites.
To be eligible for the scheme, producers must:
- have a Category 1 or Category 2 DAERA Farm Business Identification Number;
- have a representative of the farm business attend a Farm Family Key Skills pig health training course on worm control, through the College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE); and
- obtain written confirmation from their vet that, in their professional opinion, there are, or have been in the last six months, pig endoparasites present in the herd.
Funding will only apply to medication purchased after the producer has been accepted onto the Scheme by DAERA.
For further help, or if you require clarification, then please don’t hesitate in contacting on of our Farming Team or  Will Robinson at our Carlisle office 01228 534371 or email wr@saint.co.uk or call his mobile 07475 470132.
