COVID-19 and Flooding Schemes for Agricultural Sectors
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COVID-19 Schemes: Some agricultural businesses have incurred financial losses as a result of short term market disturbance due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA), in consultation with industry representatives and stakeholders, has examined the nature and extent of the financial losses that were incurred. There was clear acceptance of the need for support to be targeted at those farm businesses hardest hit financially as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In April 2021, the Agriculture Minister Edwin Poots MLA, announced the following financial support packages for agricultural businesses affected by COVID-19:
- Pig farmers who have been impacted by the collapse in prices for cull sows (worth up to £2 million);
- Sheep farmers who have been impacted by poor wool prices (worth up to £1.27 million); and
- Potato growers impacted by a reduction in demand from the hospitality and food service sector for processing potatoes.
The schemes that have been developed are targeted towards those most in need and provide a contribution towards financial loss incurred. The qualifying amounts and payment rates applied to each farm business are evidence based, use data provided by the industry and information held by DAERA. Support will be distributed on an equitable basis, and is not based on location or on entire sectors.
The schemes will be open for applications in summer 2021. Further information will be published in due course.
2017 North West Flooding Scheme
In April 2021, Agriculture Minister Edwin Poots MLA also announced a £3.45 million Support Scheme for farmers impacted by flooding in the North West in August 2017.
Farm businesses based in the North West who made a Force Majeure application for damage to land following the flooding in 2017 will be eligible to apply for the scheme. Payments will be capped at approximately £106k per farm business, and the amount of payment will depend on the individual impact of the flooding on that business.
The scheme will be open for applications in summer 2021. Further information will be published in due course.