The Organic Farming Scheme was suspended in July 2009 to facilitate a review of the Scheme. Following this review, the Scheme was re-opened from 1 January, 2010 with revised scheme conditions. The purpose of the new requirements, which include the submission of a five year business plan and the completion of an approved training course, is to identify applicants who are most likely to deliver increased organic output nationally and to target support towards those operators who intend producing products which are currently in deficit.
On applying to join the Scheme, the person named made a written declaration that he agreed to be bound by the terms and conditions of the Scheme and that he understood that it was his responsibility to acquaint himself with the conditions of the Scheme. While the requirement to submit a business plan with the application is clearly stated in the Scheme conditions which were published in 2010 the person named did not submit a business plan and was subsequently informed that he was ineligible.