The Farm and Conservation Grant Scheme 1989

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Scheme)

This Scheme complies with Article 8 of Council Regulation (EEC) No. 797/85 (OJ No. L93, 30.3.85, p.1) on improving the efficiency of agricultural structures, as amended by Council Regulation (EEC) No. 1760/87 (OJ No. L167, 26.6.87, p.1), and Article 1 of Council Directive No. 75/268/EEC (OJ No. L128, 19.5.75, p.1) on mountain and hill farming and farming in certain less-favoured areas, as amended by Council Regulation (EEC) No. 797/85.

The Scheme applies to Great Britain and makes provision for aid for agricultural businesses in the form of grants in respect of expenditure of a capital nature incurred in relation to specified works, facilities and transactions (paragraph 3 and Schedules 1 and 2). The rates of grant applicable are set out (paragraph 5 and Schedules 1 and 2). Higher rates of grant may be payable for businesses in the Isles of Scilly (paragraph 5(5) and Schedule 2) or in other less-favoured areas (paragraph 5(2) and (3) and Schedule 1). Less-favoured areas are defined by reference to designated maps which are available for inspection during normal office hours at the addresses specified in the definition of designated maps (paragraph 2(1)). Copies of the maps may be inspected during normal office hours at any Regional or Divisional Office of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, at any Divisional Office of the Welsh Office Agriculture Department or at any Area Office of the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland.

The Scheme also–

(a) imposes certain restrictions on the payment of grant (paragraph 4);

(b) provides for standard costs (paragraph 8);

(c) provides for the reduction or withholding of grant in certain circumstances where it would otherwise be payable (paragraph 9);

(d) sets closing dates for claims and closing dates for incurring certain expenditure (paragraph 7).

Variations are also made to the Agriculture Improvement Scheme 1985 (“the 1985 Scheme”) which is now superseded by the present Scheme. The closing date for receipt of claims under the 1985 Scheme in respect of grants in the Isles of Scilly relating to items in Schedule 1A to that Scheme is brought forward from 16th November 1994 to 30th November 1989 (paragraph 10(2)(b)). The closing date for incurring expenditure in relation to such items is brought forward from 16th November 1993 to 19th February 1989 (paragraph 10(3)(c)). The provision, installation or replacement of heating systems in durable plastic-clad structures for horticultural produce is now eligible for grant (paragraph 10(4)). Minor amendments are also made to the application of the closing dates for certain claims and the closing dates for incurring certain expenditure in relation to expenditure on incidental works (paragraph 10(2)(a) and (c) and (3)(a) and (b)).