The person named applied for approval to plant under the Afforestation Scheme in 1997, at which time he declared on his application that he was a non-farmer. Because of legal issues regarding title, payment in respect of this application was not made until 2009. In the intervening period he had made a further application in 2000 for a separate area under the Afforestation Scheme where he declared himself to be a part-time farmer and provided evidence to that effect. This application was approved for payment at the farmer rate of premium.
Following payment of the application in 2009, the person named then contended that he was a farmer at the time of the application in 1997. In August 2009 an appeal against the decision to award him the non-farmer rate of forestry premium was submitted on his behalf. The Appeal Committee upheld the decision that the non-farmer rate of premium should apply, in the absence of substantive and satisfactory evidence to prove otherwise. Since that decision, the person named submitted further material to substantiate his contention that he was a farmer at the time of his application. However, my Department is not satisfied that the information supplied gives the necessary assurance for it to be able to revise the decision made on appeal. If there is further substantive evidence that the person concerned can submit in support of his contention that he was a farmer when making this application, my Department will review the decision in his case.