BPS Online February 18, 2015 12:00 am New functionality has been added to the online Rural Payments system. In addition to checking personal and business details and setting up permissions users should now be able to carry out some land and mapping tasks including: Confirming land use (cropping) for each parcel Confirming the Permanent Ineligible Features (PIFs) Mapping EFA features Mapping temporary ineligible features For each parcel, it will be necessary to identify the land use and any EFA features, such as hedges and buffer strips, which a claimant wants to use (features not required for EFA do not have to be mapped for 2015). For each land use or feature an area needs to be calculated and inputted and then this feature needs to be sketched on the online mapping facility. The ‘aerial photography’ view (go to ‘show map views’) may help to identify the features. The area will not be calculated from the map these are just sketch maps to allow for identification. The area inputted will be the determinant figure. For features such as hedges, a length will need to be inputted. Again the hedge will need to be sketched onto the system, however you will only need to indicate along which boundary it runs; there is a ‘snap to’ tool to help. The system will calculate the length, but the inputted area overrides this – i.e. if you input 250m and the system calculates it is 300m you are able to remain with 250m if you wish to ere on the side of caution for your EFA calculation. Permanent ineligible features should have been transferred over from the previous system, but these will need to be identified – for example ponds. For any new ones the area will need calculating, it will need sketching on the maps and you will need to say what it is i.e a new building. There is a section to add further detail such as measurements to precisely identify where it is in the field etc. However there are still many functions that are not available yet, below is a list of what is expected to be available and the current timetable: Splitting, merging and transferring fields. Changing permanent boundaries – late February Confirming eligibility, including the active farmerdeclaration – March Adding catch and cover crops. Selecting features to count for Greening. The latter can be mapped but it is not possible to do the Greening calculation yet – March Confirming and transferring entitlements and making an application to the National Reserve – March Submitting the claim – April to May It can be seen that due to the nature of the system being developed over time it is not currently possible to go onto the system and complete a claim in one go. It will be necessary to gradually build up a claim over time as new functionality becomes available. But it is acknowledged that for Agents this is very time consuming and costly. Also, many want to be getting on now and not leaving everything until the last minute. It is however possible, and maybe more time efficient, to gather the information required from the client in advance so when the functionality becomes available Agents can go online and complete the claim. The list below is intended to help agents in the process: Obtain new RLR maps for the holding, by March. We understand that sometime in March the RLR will hand over to the Rural Payments system and it will not be possible to order maps after then. Currently it is not possible to print off full sets of maps from the new Rural Payments system. If not already done so, assist client to register on to the new Rural Payments system and set up ‘permissions’ With the client go through the field parcels in advance of inputting the data online Check all fields are on the online service Find out what is going to be growing in the field during the ‘cropping period’ (May and June). Record this land use on the map Measure any ineligible features not shown on the maps Consider a date for the feature being present, especially if within the last five years Measure buffer strips and hedges which the client is planning to use for their EFA Measure any split fields, mark on any mergers and boundary changes If not already done so, calculate if the client needs to undertake Crop Diversification and/or EFA Check if the client is caught by any of the Active Farmer tests – does their accountant need a warning about collecting data for the readmission criteria? Check if the client qualifies for Young Farmer or New Entrant allocation from the National Reserve This is not an exhaustive list, but it aims to help Agents plan their time so that they don’t have to keep visiting clients. In our own experience, the system is still very slow for the functions that are now available and having to confirm the area and land use in each parcel can be very time consuming. Although, it should be remembered the service is constantly being developed and it may be easier to carry out some of these operations later on. But some readers who have multiple applications will be anxious to get on. The list above should help to gather the information required to build a claim.
