Date clarified for transition to new area payment, says UFU

UFU president, David Brown, said: “It’s important that all farmers across Northern Ireland are aware of the transition to the new area payment that has now been confirmed by DAERA and the eligibility requirements.

“From 2025, the minimum claim size that farmers can make will increase from three hectares to five hectares.

“For those individuals who did not actively farm in 2020 and 2021, they will not qualify for a Farm Sustainability Transition Payment in 2025. Nor will they receive new Farm Sustainability Payments.

“This change will impact landowners who have no livestock or are not growing arable crops.

“Many still receive Basic Payment Scheme entitlements and trade these each year, while others manage to meet active farming rules by keeping their land in prime agricultural condition or creating revenue from selling grass/grass silage.

“They will no longer be able to do this under the new payments. DAERA has outlined that these landowners have until the closure of the entitlement trading window in May 2025 to sell their BPS entitlements.

“If they miss this deadline, their BPS entitlements will lose all value,” Mr Brown added.