Environment and Rural Affairs Department Agriculture Group
Less Favoured Areas Support Scheme
LFASS 2005
EXPLANATORY NOTES
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INTRODUCTION
- You should already have claimed under the Less Favoured Areas Support Scheme (LFASS) 2005 on your Area Aid Application (AAA) base form 2004. These Explanatory Notes describe the arrangements for the scheme which have recently been cleared by the EU. Please keep them safe - you will need to refer to them when we send you your payment letter. You should read them carefully together with the IACS 2004 Explanatory Booklet IACS (1) 2004. Paragraphs 56 to 60 of the IACS (1) relate to LFASS 2005.
- There is no separate claim form for LFASS 2005. However, we will write to seek supplementary information from: those LFASS 2005 claimants with breeding sheep and/or sucklers who were ineligible to claim under the livestock premium schemes; those who have deer, goats, llamas and/or alpacas; and also those whose business includes non-Scottish land or non-LFA land. (See paragraph 5. of these Notes.)
- For more information contact your local SEERAD area office. Addresses and telephone numbers are listed at Annex F.
- LFASS 2005 is partially funded by the European Community and is provided for in the Rural Development Regulation - Council Regulation (EC) No. 1257/1999.
IMPORTANT POINTS TO NOTE
Arrangements for LFASS 2005, including payment rates, are broadly the same as in 2004. However, highlighted below are some important points to note. You will find more details about them in the following pages.
- Good Animal Husbandry: As before, to qualify for LFASS, all producers must meet the requirements of Good Farming Practice. From December 2004, this included a requirement to adhere to minimum standards of animal welfare. The revised Guidelines, including lists of verifiable standards and the relevant environmental legislation, are set out at Annex C.
- Good Farming Practice, Scale of Penalties: As in previous years, any breach of Good Farming Practice, depending on the severity, may mean the loss of all or part of payment of LFASS. To ensure that payment reductions are applied consistently and fairly, we have developed a scale of Good Farming Practice penalties. Paragraph 13 indicates the range of penalties which may apply.
CONTENTS
1. About the Less Favoured Areas Support Scheme (LFASS).
2. Your Claim.
3. IACS and/or Land outwith Scotland.
4. Claims based on existing information (including Milk Quota)
5. Claims requiring Additional Information:
5.1 Animal Numbers.
5.2 Businesses with Land outwith the Scottish LFA.
6. Common and Shared Grazings; and Seasonal and Short Term Lets.
7. Forage Transfer Arrangements.
8. Calculation of Livestock Units.
9. Stocking Density.
10. How will my payment be calculated?
10.1. Eligible Forage Land.
10.2. Ineligible Land used for Dairying outwith the LFASS Ring-Fence Milk Quota Area.
10.3. Avoiding Over-Compensation: Minimum and Maximum Stocking Densities.
10.4. Eligible Activity undertaken in 2001: Grazing Category Value.
10.5. Environmental Measure: Mix of Livestock Maintained.
10.6. Rates of Aid.
10.7. Calculation of your Area Based Entitlement.
10.8. Minimum Payment.
11. How and when will I get my payment?
12. Inspections.
13. Penalties and Repayment of Support.
13.1. LFASS Penalties.
13.2. Good Farming Practice Penalties
13.3 IACS Penalties which affect LFASS.
13.4. Repayment.
14. Land Classification: Applications for LFA classification and appeals against decisions; and appeals against grazing category.
15. Appeals and Complaints Procedure.
15.1 Appeals against Decisions
15.2 Complaints about Standard of Service
ANNEX A Calculation of Livestock Units and Stocking Density.
ANNEX B Payment Calculation Examples.
ANNEX C Good Farming Practice Guidelines - Scotland.
ANNEX D Environmental Controls
ANNEX E Parish List.
ANNEX F List of SEERAD Area Offices.