Introduction
In order to be eligible to receive the new BPS (Basic Payments scheme) introduced during the CAP reform in January 2015, farmers must comply with certain rules.
“Greening” was brought in to help increase farms environmental performance. This is through adapting farming practices that benefit both the environment and the climate.
Greening payments are paid on top of the BPS. They are equal to around 30% of the BPS paid. Failure to comply with greening rules during the first two years (until 2017) can result in a docking of the greening payment. After this time a reduction can be applied to BPS received (as an administrative penalty), in addition to docking of the greening payment.
To comply with the greening rules, farmers must adhere to 3 requirements:
• Crop Diversification
• Ecological Focus Areas (EFA’s)
• Permanent Grassland
GREENING REQUIREMENTS
CROP DIVERSIFICATION
All arable ground on farm must be counted towards crop diversification.
The table below shows the crop diversification that must take place to comply with greening requirements:
ARABLE AREA (Ha) REQUIREMENT FOR CORRECT COMPLIANCE
< 10 Ha Crop diversification is not required.
10 -30 Ha Minimum of 2 different crops to be grown. One crop must not take up any more than 75% of arable ground available.
>30 Ha Minimum of 3 different crops to be grown. One crop must not take up any more than 75% of arable ground available and 2 crops together cannot exceed 95% of arable ground available.
(Fig.1 Crop diversification Requirements, Samuel and Son, 2015)
It should be noted winter and spring varieties count as separate crops, but crops grown of the same species/family will only count as one crop. It is important to point out, permanent crops (which are not rotational) and permanent grassland do not count as crops. How crops are used i.e. separate end markets also have no effect, as it will only be counted as one crop. (Scottish Government, 2015)
Exceptions are made in relation to crop diversification in the following situations:
• Farms on which all land is certified as being organic do not need to meet crop diversification requirements. (farms that are partly organic or only partly certified must comply with greening requirements)
• Farms where over 50% of arable area declared during 2015’s BPS claim was not declared the previous year (2014), and that the ground declared is used to grow an alternate crop during 2015 compared to the crop grown during 2014.
• Farms where 75% of arable ground is fallow or in grass and the arable area left equates to under 30ha.
It should be noted that ground that is in temporary grass, is fallow, field margins and land under schemes such as Agri-Environment must be counted in the farms arable area. Some of these may class as LIEM (LFASS ineligible environmental management) and PEM (Positive Environmental Management). (Scottish Government, 2015)
To comply with the greening requirements the crops must be in the ground from 1 May – 30 June every year. (Samuel and Son, 2015)
During 2015 the Scottish government outlined the definition of a crop in relation to EU regulations, with regards to crop diversification:
• “A culture of any of the different genera defined in the botanical classification of crops.
• A culture of any species in the case of Brassicaceae, Solanaceae and Cucurbitaceae.
• Land lying fallow
• Grass or other herbaceous forage on arable land.”
(Scottish Government, 2015)
Crop diversification is expected to help increase biodiversity by increasing the variety and types or crops grown.
ECOLOGICAL FOCUS AREAS (EFA’S)
The purpose of EFA’s are to increase biodiversity. Farms that EFA rules apply to must have 5% of all arable ground in EFA’s.
There are 5 different types of EFA of which one or more may be used to make up the required 5%.
The 5 EFA’s are:
• Fallow Land
• Buffer Strips
• Field Margins
• Catch Crops
• Nitrogen Fixing Crops
(Scottish Government, 2015)
As with crop diversification, land that has all been certified as organic does not need to meet EFA requirements. Also if 75% or more ground is fallow, grass or used to grow legumes and the arable ground left is less than 30ha, the rules do not apply. Similarly land that is counted as arable ground, must include fallow, agri-environment schemes, buffers, EFA temporary grass and field margins. Again, permanent crops are not counted.
Each EFA has a weighting factor, set by the EU. Some have higher weighting factors, based on how beneficial they are. Shown below are the 5 EFA’s, their weighting factor and where they should be located;
EFA LOCATION WEIGHTING FACTOR
Fallow On arable ground 1
Buffer strips On/next to arable ground 1.5
Field Margins On/next to arable ground 1.5
N-fixing Crops On arable ground 0.7
Catch Crops On arable ground 0.3
(Fig.2 Weighting factors and location requirements of EFA’s, Samuel and Son, 2015)
FALLOW GROUND
EFA fallow period extends from January 1st until June 30th.
To comply, fallow ground must be declared as arable ground. It must also be at least 0.1ha.
A map of the area used as fallow ground must also be kept.
FALLOW GROUND CAN FALLOW GROUND CANNOT
• Have herbicides or cultivation methods applied to manage weeds e.g. blackgrass.
• Have wild bird seed planted, but not grazed or harvested.
• Have temporary grass planted, but not fertilized, grazed or harvested. • Be used for storage e.g. of machinery from 15th January – 15th July.
• Be drained from 15th January – 15th July.
• Have fertilizer applied from 15th January – 15th July.
(Fig.3 Fallow ground requirements, Samuel and Son, 2015)
BUFFER STRIPS
Buffer strips are useful for increasing water quality.
Buffer strips must be on arable ground, at least 01.ha and can range from 2-20 m wide. They must be easily seen all year, from 1st January – 31st December.
A map of the area used as Buffer strips must also be kept.
BUFFER STRIPS CAN BUFFER STRIPS CANNOT
• Have wild bird, flower mix or grass planted.
• Be used for silage and hay, with care taken not to disturb wildlife e.g. Birds that nest there. • Be used for agriculture (except silage and hay) from 1st January – 31st December.
• Be fertilized. (with exception for weed treatment)
• Be grazed from 1st January – 31st December.
(Fig 4. Buffer strip requirements, Scottish Government, 2015)
FIELD MARGINS
Field margins provide habitats for wildlife, which in turn will help increase biodiversity.
Field margins must be on or next to arable land, at least 0.1ha and can range from 1-20 m wide. They must be easily seen all year, from 1st January – 31st December.
A map of the area used for field margins should also be kept.
FIELD MARGINS CAN FIELD MARGINS CANNOT
• Have wild bird, flower mix or grass planted.
• Have grass topped, after 31st August
• Be fertilized to increase grass growth. • Be used for agriculture from 1st January – 31st December.
• Be grazed from 1st January – 31st December.
• Be fertilized (except for promoting grass growth)
(Fig.5 Field margin requirements, Samuel and Son, 2015)
NITROGEN FIXING CROPS
These crops use rhizomes within their roots, to produce their own nitrogen, reducing the requirement for artificial fertilizer.
Nitrogen fixing crops should be grow on arable ground and be at least 0.1ha.
A map of the area planted in nitrogen fixing crops must also be kept.
NITROGEN FIXING CROPS MUST NITROGEN FIXING CROPS CANNOT
• Be grown in an area that has an EFA field margin.
• Have at least one nitrogen fixing crop planted e.g. clover.
• As of 2016, 2 different nitrogen fixing crops must be planted (with one crop not exceeding 75% of the area planted. • Be harvested before 1st August (to avoid disturbing wildlife e.g. birds)
(Fig.6 Nitrogen Fixing crop requirements, Samuel and son, 2015)
COVER CROPS