O’Neill Provides Flexibility Assurance to LFACA Claimants

Minister O’Neill sought to reassure those farmers who feel that they may lose out on payment due to low stocking levels as a result of the severe weather conditions that DARD would consider each case on its merits. She he Minister added:“I have asked officials in my Department to consider positively any requests for Force Majeure/Exceptional Circumstances on the grounds of stock losses caused by the severe weather conditions.” Force Majeure/Exceptional Circumstances is defined as ‘unusual circumstances outside the control of the trader, the consequences of which, in spite of the exercise of all due care, could not have been avoided except at the cost of excessive sacrifice’. “EU Force Majeure/Exceptional Circumstance provisions are not new. However, to satisfy their requirements, the farmer must ask the Department in writing for their case to be considered under these provisions. Usually requests for Force Majeure should be made within 10 working days of the farmer being in a position to do so. “However, given the severity of the weather, the extent of the loss in some instances, and the proximity to the closing date for the Single Application Form, the Department will accept requests up to but not beyond 15 May 2013. Also, in order to help the farmer provide the Department with the information needed to decide Force Majeure, an application form has been developed specifically for this purpose. This application form will be available from Wednesday 17 April 2013 from local DARD Direct Offices on request or from the Department’s website. Completed forms can be posted or sent via e-mail to Orchard House.” “I accept that it will not be possible for many farmers who have lost livestock due to the severe weather to restock until later in the year given the extent of the loss in some cases and the unavailability of replacement livestock. However, farmers affected in this way must make every effort to meet the minimum stocking density threshold as quickly as possible. This will help us ensure that farmers receive all the payments that they are entitled to and do not lose money unnecessarily,” the Minister added.]]>