Just days left to submit EFS claims

With only a few days left for completion of Single Applications, the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) has urged all EFS participants who started their agreements on 1 July 2017, 1 January 2018, or 1 January 2019, to submit their claim on the Single Application and Map Service via DAERA Online Services by 15 May 2019.

If EFS participants have already submitted a Basic Payment claim they or their agent, should log in again to claim EFS as well.

EFS participants must indicate in each of the five years of their EFS agreement that they are continuing to maintain the options they established and received payment for. They must do this by submitting an annual EFS claim on the Single Application and Map Service. The claimant is asked to declare the amount of each option claimed or maintained. Failure to submit an EFS claim for two consecutive years may result in the recovery of any payments already made.

DAERA has also confirmed the closing date for applications for the third tranche of the Environmental Farming Scheme (EFS) Higher level will be 5.00pm on Friday 17 May 2019.

The EFS is part of the NI Rural Development Programme.

Further information and guidance on area based schemes is available on the DAERA website at: http://www.daera-ni.gov.uk/topics/grants-and-funding/area-based-schemes-2019

You are advised to read the booklet ‘How to complete your EFS claim online in 2019’, which is available at: http://www.daera-ni.gov.uk/publications/how-complete-your-efs-claim-online-2019

You can also call the Single Application and Map Advisory Service on 0300 200 7848.