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CAP grants come early for Spanish farmers hit by drought
24/07/2017
GRANTS from the European Union have been agreed for Spanish farmers affected by the ongoing drought which has led to huge losses in the sector, which will be paid in mid-October.
Commissioner for agriculture Phil Hogan said the payments, due originally in December, would be handed over early and pre-requisites for entitlement would be relaxed, including the so-called 'greening' – where Brussels spends 30% of direct payments due on improving natural resource use and requires farmers to meet crop diversification, permanent pasture maintenance, environmental landscapes and reservoir obligations.
This extra flexibility in the CAP (Common Agricultural Policy) payments allows Brussels to cover the worst of the drought-stricken period retroactively, meaning grants based upon rules in place before the CAP reform tightened them up.
Hogan has also offered CAP grand recipients free use of the Commission's advice service to help them maximise emergency measures offered by rural development programmes, or explaining how they can limit the damage caused by unfavourable weather conditions.
As well as Spain, CAP grants for drought-related losses have been agreed for Belgium, Portugal and Luxembourg.
A total of 70% of direct aid and 85% of rural development support funds for arable and livestock farmers will be paid two months early, in October, Mr Hogan reveals.
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GRANTS from the European Union have been agreed for Spanish farmers affected by the ongoing drought which has led to huge losses in the sector, which will be paid in mid-October.
Commissioner for agriculture Phil Hogan said the payments, due originally in December, would be handed over early and pre-requisites for entitlement would be relaxed, including the so-called 'greening' – where Brussels spends 30% of direct payments due on improving natural resource use and requires farmers to meet crop diversification, permanent pasture maintenance, environmental landscapes and reservoir obligations.
This extra flexibility in the CAP (Common Agricultural Policy) payments allows Brussels to cover the worst of the drought-stricken period retroactively, meaning grants based upon rules in place before the CAP reform tightened them up.
Hogan has also offered CAP grand recipients free use of the Commission's advice service to help them maximise emergency measures offered by rural development programmes, or explaining how they can limit the damage caused by unfavourable weather conditions.
As well as Spain, CAP grants for drought-related losses have been agreed for Belgium, Portugal and Luxembourg.
A total of 70% of direct aid and 85% of rural development support funds for arable and livestock farmers will be paid two months early, in October, Mr Hogan reveals.
Related Topics
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