Manual for Applying for Direct Payments for Campaign 2017

The Ministry of Agriculture and Food has published a handbook for applying for direct payments for Campaign 2017.

During Campaign 2017, the requirement introduced in Campaign 2015 and applied also in Campaign 2016 continues to be verified, namely that all applicants-beneficiaries of direct payments must be active farmers. The attached handbooks clarify the different schemes for supporting farmers, based on area, green direct payments, support for agricultural animals, and schemes for fruit and vegetable producers. Documents and explanations are also available for farmers engaged in the cultivation of tobacco, cotton and protein crops.

The handbooks also include areas with short rotation coppice for the purposes of EFA, planted with fast-growing tree species with a specified maximum harvesting cycle, such as poplars, willows, lindens, plane trees, etc.

Inside you will also find information on catch crops under EFA (ecological focus areas), which are mixtures of non-cereal crops and cereal crops grown between two main crops, after harvesting the preceding main crop and before sowing the next main crop. Sowing or undersowing must be carried out by 30 September of the year of application for direct payments. Areas sown with winter crops for

the purpose of obtaining a harvest or for grazing are not considered areas with catch crops or green cover.

On 52 pages, all schemes under which farmers can apply in Campaign 2017 are described in detail.

See the handbook for applying for direct payments 2017 HERE