Smallholders Called to Unite
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With the recent news that up to 17,000 smallholders could have their Single Payment Scheme payments cut following DEFRA changes to the rules of eligibility next year, there has never been a better time for smallholders to unite. Whilst there was a consultation regarding the changes to the Single Payment Scheme this Summer, it is clear that smallholding groups were not represented and that there is still no national voice for smallholders. The SSP scheme provides subsidies for farmers across the European Union in return for their conserving of the environment. Up until 2005 the payments, then called Common Agriculture Policy payments subsidised the costs of food and encouraged farmers to keep livestock and grow arable crops. In 2005 Single Payments Schemes were introduced which paid farmers a flat rate depending on the area of land they managed with payments available for anything over 0.3 hectares (roughly three quarters of an acre). Thousands of smallholders then became eligible to enter the scheme and registered for payments. DEFRA were overwhelmed by the number of smallholders joining the scheme leading to problems with the processing of SPS and EU payment claims. The latest changes will now mean that EU member states will now be able to choose the minimum land area they will make payments for, within the limits of 1-5 hectares. If DEFRA sets the new minimum at 1 hectare, this could mean 1,500 farmers will lose payments. Admittedly at a payment of £50 for an acre this is not a major loss. However if DEFRA were to set the minimum land size at 3 hectares as it is expected to do, this could affect around 10,000 smallholders who could lose up to £400 a year. One of the main problems with these changes has been that smallholders have not been represented nationally and have therefore been unable to be involved in the consultation process. Smallholders magazines were also excluded with no press releases or advertisements taken out by DEFRA to advise of the changes. By nature smallholders tend to be independent and many live in isolated locations, but it is vitally important that we unite so that in the case of future changes we are a force to be reckoned with and cannot just be passed over without consultation. Alan Beat, a Devon smallholder ran the Smallholders Online Forum in an attempt to unite smallholders nationally, but this forum had to be closed recently due to a lack of support. A new forum has now been created and smallholders are encouraged to join up at the new ‘Smallholders Online Network.’ The new site is ‘an online community for smallholders. A place to share ideas, experiences and thoughts on small-scale, local food production.’ It can only succeed with your input, so please if you haven’t already, do sign up and get involved. Click here to visit the Smallholders Online Network Article by Rural Smallholding Magazine |
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