Organic Farming Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2008

Power to make payment of grant

3.—(1) The Department may make annual payments of assistance in respect of an eligible organic parcel to any person who—

(a) owns or occupies the parcel;

(b) has agreed with an Inspection Authority a conversion plan for the parcel or, where the parcel forms part of a larger organic unit, for the unit as a whole;

(c) has been certified by the Authority as complying with the terms of the plan, the Compendium of Organic Standards, and the Council Regulation;

(d) has entered into an agreement with the Department which includes the undertakings required by regulation 4(2); and

(e) has made a claim in accordance with regulation 5.

(2) For the purposes of paragraph (1) an organic parcel is eligible if—

(a) it consists of land recorded on a farm business map produced by the Department;

(b) where it consists only of horticultural land, it comprises not less than one hectare;

(c) where it consists wholly or partly of arable or other improved or semi-improved land, it consists of not less than 3 hectares of land; and

(d) it has not already been certified as fully organic by an Inspection Authority.