| Date:
19 July 2000
Nearly 70% of dairy farmers are risking their Dairy Adjustment payment Nearly 70% of dairy farmers originally sent application forms are risking their entitlement, based on the current rate at which Standard Payment Right application forms are being returned. "Quite frankly, I am alarmed that of the 17,000 forms sent out, only about 5,000 completed forms have been returned to us," said Dairy Adjustment Authority Chairman, Mr. Patrick Musgrave. "At this rate many dairy farmers will miss the deadline and miss out on their entitlement offer. "We have less than four weeks to receive all the forms. If a Standard Payment Right form is not returned to the DAA by 17 August 2000, they will not be considered for a payment. "There is no second chance – NO FORM, NO MONEY – it's that simple!" "Dairy farmers have only one shot at this. If they don’t have their forms back to us by 17 August, they’ve done their dough," Mr. Musgrave said. "Anyone banking on an extension to the 17 August deadline is in for a very rude shock, there can be no extension to this deadline." Under the legislation, only those application forms received by 17 August can be considered and there is no scope to extend the deadline. "There is significant detail needed to complete the form; anyone leaving it to the last minute may find they can’t get their form in on time and will miss out. "It will be tragic if eligible producers miss out simply because they left it too late. And there will be nothing that anyone can do about it." |