Land agency Galbraith is urging farmers to look out for an email or letter from SGRPID from this Monday (February 22), notifying them of any reduction or exclusion made to their Basic Payment Scheme, Greening, Young Farmer or Less Favoured Area Support Scheme payments.
Farmers and crofters will have only 60 days from receipt of the notification to submit an appeal under the Rural Payment (Appeals) (Scotland) Regulations 2015.
The decisions only relate to 2020 claims, as any 2015 to 2019 issues are not addressed, since SGRPID have taken the decision to withhold information relating to that period.
Stewart Johnston of Galbraith in Aberdeen said:
“For many people this will be the first time that they have been notified of any reduction made to their payment or any land that has been deemed not eligible.
They may not have been aware that a reduction had been applied. To make matters worse, 2015 is the key year, as that is the year they established the basis for these entitlements.
“We would advise farmers to consider whether they agree with the basis of the decision that has been made and to act promptly if they wish to make an appeal.”
