SURVEY SHOWS THAT 85% OF LOCAL FARMERS ARE STILL WAITING FOR CRUCIAL PAYMENTS

A survey conducted by local MP Tim Farron has revealed that 85% of farmers in the South Lakes have yet to receive their single farm payment for this financial year.

Errors on the part of the Rural Payments Agency mean that there are discrepancies in the maps for farms in our area - but mostly these discrepancies are over the tiniest pieces of land amounting to just a square metre or so.

Tim has succeeded in securing interim payments for several local farmers, but there is still a large backlog. Ministers have now conceded that farms can receive payments before the maps are validated after pressure from Tim which means that more payments should now be forthcoming.

Tim said: "Farmers are struggling and some face going under because of the delay in receiving their payments. Civil servants wouldn't wait 4 months for their salary, so why should our farmers? The delay is entirely down to government mistakes over the mapping, it's not right that farmers should pay the price!"