£292.7MILLION ISSUED IN DIRECT PAYMENTS

More than 99% of farmers in Northern Ireland have received their full Direct Payment for 2020, Agriculture Minister Edwin Poots MLA has announced.

The total amount of Direct Payments issued by DAERA for the 2020 scheme year is £292.7million.

Commending the Department’s performance, Minister Poots said: “I am pleased to announce that full Direct Payments have now issued to over 99% of our farmers, totalling £292.7m in support. This includes those selected for an inspection.

“For the past number of years Northern Ireland has led the way in payment performance within the United Kingdom. This year my Department made further progress by being the only region to issue full payments from October, a remarkable achievement given the ongoing pandemic. Even under these challenging times they have been able to complete all inspections before the end of December. 

“These vital payments will greatly assist farmers, many of whom are experiencing acute financial difficulties during the Covid-19 pandemic.”

Payment letters have issued to every farm business by post but can also be viewed online at DAERA Online Services.

Farmers can check the status of their Single Application through a newly developed online claim tracker which can also be accessed via DAERA Online Services.

ENDS