Mark Addison to talk with NFU in Carlisle after receiving letter of complaint
As the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) continues to fail to deliver much needed support payments to farmers, the agency's Chief Executive, Mark Addison, has responded to NFU North West's call for immediate action and is travelling up to Carlisle tomorrow (Thursday April 27) to meet the organisation's leading regional figures.
The NFU's North West regional management board chairman Peter Allen, who farms at Bampton in Cumbria, led a delegation that travelled up to the RPA offices in Carlisle at on Friday 06 April. They successfully delivered a letter of complaint which Mr Addison is now responding to.
He will meet with NFU Cumbria County Chairman, Trevor Wilson, NFU Cumbria Deputy County Chairman Russell Bowman, National NFU Livestock Board Chairman and Lancashire farmer, Thomas Binns, NFU North West Livestock Board Chairman, Alistair Mackintosh, and NFU Carlisle group secretary, Nick Utting, at the RPA's Eden Bridge House office in Carlisle at 12.30pm tomorrow.
The topics the NFU is keen to discuss include the omission of penalties for farmers who miss the May 15 deadline for submission of next year's forms, how in practical terms interim payments will speed up the rate payments are made, mapping issues and why the Hill Farm Allowance needs to be paid instantly.
NFU North West Livestock Chairman, Alistair Mackintosh, said: "We are not asking for an extension of the May 15 deadline but we will certainly be asking for the omission of late application penalties. We need this changing because some farmers have still not received their forms.
"In regards to mapping problems there are still people who have not got correct maps and this is delaying payments including the Hill Farm Allowance (HFA) payments.
"I want to hold Mr Addison accountable for any delays in next year's payments which could arise from the present ongoing fiasco within the RPA.
"However, the NFU welcomes the opportunity to have a chance to talk to Mr Addison on a one to one basis."
Contained inside the letter sent to Mark Addison were details of how the NFU in the North West felt the RPA's inability to pay the Single Farm Payment on time was nothing short of scandalous. The letter was given to Jane Swanton who is in charge of processing Single Farm Payment application forms at Carlisle.
