The government will review the cases of around 200 farmers deemed ineligible for organic conversion aid by cut off dates, after pressure from the National Farmers Union.

The so-called six-month cut off meant the farmers who registered as organic producers between November 1999 and July 2000 had not qualified for help with conversion, because they fell between two phases of the Organic Farming Scheme. This period was between the ending of the first phase of the scheme but before the six-month cut off period for eligibility for the second phase, which opened in January 2001.

The department of the environment, food and rural affairs (Defra) is now looking into the cases again, and has asked the NFU to supply details of those affected.

NFU legal advisor Robert Madge said: 'Farmers have been extolled to convert to organic in recent years. But it is an extremely expensive process and there are long periods when the producer has a severely reduced income.

'That is why the Organic Farming Scheme is so important and why we have been pressing Defra for some time to reconsider the implementation of the six-month cut off rule. It is vital that any farmer whose certificate of registration was issued between November 1999 and July 2000 get in touch with us so we can look at how they may be helped.' Any NFU members falling into this category who would like to have their case reviewed should contact Robert Madge at Agriculture House, 164 Shaftsbury Avenue, London WC2H 8HL.

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