The NFU is “utterly dismayed” at the continued “incompetence” of the Rural Payments Agency (RPA). The farmers’ union has professed itself to be unsurprised by Defra’s announcement today that the RPA will fail to pay the bulk of support payments to farmers by the end of March as previously promised.
In a written statement to parliament, Margaret Beckett said that the chief executive of the RPA, Johnston McNeill, admitted the agency would not be able to make payments to the majority of farmers by the end of the month.
In response, Beckett has announced a fundamental review of the RPA looking at its current and future functions and its relationship with Defra and stakeholders. McNeill has been replaced as the chief executive by acting chief executive Mark Addison. Recruitment for a new permanent post holder will take place immediately.
President of the NFU, Peter Kendall, said: “The admission that targets will not be met confirms the state of disarray at the RPA. It seems the agency has continued to fail farmers and growers despite a number of repeated warnings from industry. This mess will leave many farmers facing serious hardship.
“In January the NFU Council passed a vote of no confidence in the RPA and only last week, I wrote an open letter, with the CLA, demanding urgent answers.
“Since its launch last year we’ve seen nothing but a continuous series of errors, obscure processes and poor quality information supplied to farmers by the RPA. The NFU has continuously alerted the RPA and the Government to these problems but we have always been assured payments will be made. It is ridiculous that admissions of fault can only be made at the last minute.
“We must now look forward. I, and the president of the CLA, will be meeting Lord Bach early next week where we will insist on emergency action to get as many farmers paid as soon as possible. That is our absolute priority.
“This announcement by the Secretary of State must mark a change in the way the RPA functions and this review, although welcome, must not be an excuse to delay payments any further. These payments are part of farming throughout Europe and farmers need them to control cash flow. You cannot run a business on a promise. This mess must end here.”
