UFU welcomes progress on Snow Hardship Scheme
The President of the Ulster Farmers’ Union, Harry Sinclair, has welcomed the release of the finalised details of the Hardship Scheme for those affected by the severe snow in March of this year. The details of this scheme were announced after it was given approval by the NI Assembly’s Agriculture Committee earlier this week.
Harry Sinclair said; “We are pleased that progress has been made quickly on finalising the details of the second stage of the hardship package agreed by the NI Executive on 28th March 2013. Almost 1,300 farmers in the affected areas who had fallen stock collected and disposed of during the relevant period are eligible for the scheme and, as the UFU had proposed, a letter will soon be issued by DARD to these farmers. The letter will include a claim form outlining details of the individual livestock losses recorded by DARD and the level of payment to be awarded. We are please that DARD has taken this simplified application approach as it will facilitate the earliest possible release of these payments which are expected to be made by the end of June. We are also pleased that realistic payments are to be made based on flat rate replacement costs dependent on the age and type of livestock using current market information.”
Harry Sinclair concluded; “In what has been a particularly difficult year for these livestock farmers, this funding provides some assistance to help with the significant challenges which they face.”
