Map delays frustrate farmers

UK - The government is under pressure to allow farmers to apply to the Entry Level Stewardship scheme before all of their land is put on the Rural Land Register.

The NFU has said that farmers are becoming increasingly frustrated at delays in registering land on the RLR.

The union estimates there are "probably thousands rather than hundreds of maps waiting to be sorted".

NFU deputy president Peter Kendall said he himself was waiting for maps and it was holding up his farm’s ELS application.

"For me it is going to be a really important part of my business' earning capacity. But I'm waiting for my maps to be returned for the second time."

Mr Kendall said he had written to junior DEFRA minister Elliot Morley asking that DEFRA and the Rural Payments Agency devote more staff time to land registration.

He has also requested that DEFRA remove the requirement that all land must be registered before it can be included on an ELS application.

"We are asking DEFRA to be flexible and remove the barrier standing in the way of farmers applying in time for the August start date," he said.

Source: FWi