News Corona crisis
Little enthusiasm for support among British fanciers
British dairy farmers will have longer to apply for subsidy from the government to support them during the corona crisis. Only 174 dairy farmers have applied for the government subsidy, dairy farmers find the criteria they must meet too strict.
In June, the British government issued a new fund made available to offer dairy farmers extra support during the corona crisis. Dairy farmers who lost more than 25% of their income as a result of the corona crisis in the months of April and May would be eligible for a subsidy of up to £10.000.
According to The Rural Payments Agency (RPA), only 27 UK dairy farmers have signed up for the fund through July 174. Approximately 85% of these applications have been assessed, of which 17% are not eligible for the fund because they do not meet the criteria. To date, 55 dairy farmers have received a grant and a total of approximately £481.000 has been granted. 35 dairy farmers have been eligible for the maximum grant amount of £10.000.
Extension deadline
Originally, registration for the fund was supposed to close on August 14, but the deadline has been extended to September 11. A government spokesman explained that the extension is being granted because it is currently a busy time for dairy farmers and that many have only recently received their milk payment from May.
British dairy farmers are concerned about the requirements for aid applications. The Tenant Farmers Association said the scheme has supported only 55 dairy farmers through the strict criteria that applications must meet. The group believes the criteria are too strict compared to supports for other sectors.
Chanti Oussoren
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