Explanatory note

These Regulations amend the Organic Farming (Aid) Regulations 1994 (S.I. 1994/1721) (as amended) (“the principal Regulations”), which implement in part a zonal programme approved by the European Commission under Article 7 of Council Regulation (EEC) No. 2078/92 (O.J. No. L215, 30.7.92, p.85) on agricultural production methods compatible with the requirements of the environment and the maintenance of the countryside. Regulation 9 of the principal Regulations is amended by these Regulations so as to enable payments of aid made by the Minister to a beneficiary pursuant to the principal Regulations to be made on an annual basis at any time during the year in respect of which the payment is made. Prior to the coming into force of these Regulations, where the Minister made payments of aid, they were required to be made quarterly in arrear (or, where the total of any four consecutive payments in arrear would amount to less than £500, by a single payment of that total in arrear).

• These Regulations apply to England and Wales.

• No regulatory appraisal has been prepared in respect of these Regulations.