Flood-affected areas must be reported from September 4th

From September 4, farmers whose agricultural crops and hay have been destroyed as a result of heavy rains and floods will have the opportunity to apply for an area survey at the regional offices of the Latvian Rural Advisory and Education Centre (LLKC) and the Rural Support Service (LAD) by submitting a paper information form. Information about flood damage must be accompanied by: RSS electronic application systems The Unified Application Rural Block Map submitted in 2017 has been printed. The part of the area where agricultural crops have been completely destroyed must be marked on the map. Information must be provided on the flooded areas of crops, where the minimum flooded area of one field is at least 0.3 ha.The information form does not need to indicate the areas of grassland and fallow land intended for fodder production, but The amount of prepared hay that was lost must be indicated.

The information form will be available from September 4 on the websites of the Ministry of Agriculture, LLKC and RSS, as well as in the regional offices of LLKC and RSS. Farmers can apply for a field survey until October 2.

After receiving the information form, LLKC and RSS specialists An individual area survey will be conducted within 3 working days, inviting a farm representative to participate.

Compensation will be received for the agricultural crop areas declared in the Single Application in 2017 and for the 2017 winter crops for the 2018 harvest, which will be recognized as completely destroyed in the floods as a result of the survey. Compensation for hay will be received by farms if herbivorous farm animals are registered in the Animal Register of the Agricultural Data Centre, and the survey determines that the prepared hay has been destroyed as a result of the floods.

The amount of losses is calculated taking into account the determined average costs per hectare for the relevant crops. These will be partially covered. The total amount required for the payment of compensation will be calculated taking into account the identified damaged areas.

The compensation is considered state aid and the Ministry of Agriculture will have to coordinate it with the European Commission.

In addition, the following derogations will be applied to the conditions for receiving area payments for farmers whose agricultural land is located in flood-affected regions:

1. There will be no deadline for mowing and harvesting grasslands, mowing between rows of perennial crops, and plowing fallow land, taking into account the fact that more time and resources are needed to manage the areas;
2. The minimum yield requirement for receiving coupled support for certified (grassland, cereal, potato) seeds and starch potatoes will not be applied;
3. Flood damage to drainage systems will not be considered a breach of cross-compliance requirements;
4. There will be no penalties for failure to meet the minimum income requirement – for the purchase of diesel fuel for farmers, for support for organic farming;
5. Also, with regard to projects and the achievement of the objectives set therein, the current situation will be assessed and the monitoring period will be extended or derogations applied.

In addition, from October 16, the RSS will begin paying out advance payments in a larger amount than initially planned (70% single area payment and 85% less-favoured areas payment and organic payments).