Cross compliance needs farmer consideration

NFU in the East Midlands will be consulting the farming industry on the Defra proposals for cross compliance. The proposals, announced on 30th March detail ed the measures the government wants farmers to observe in order to qualify for the new Single Farm Payment (SFP).

"The conditions are going to need careful consideration," said Simon Fisher, NFU's East Midlands' Senior Food and Farming Adviser. "The cross-compliance requirements will introduce a number of controversial ideas."

To qualify for the SFP, the European regulation requires farmers to meet 'cross compliance' measures, including more environmental, animal health and welfare, public health and plant health conditions.

"Some of the proposed conditions are already part of everyday farming practice, however other aspects will challenge both practicality and commonsense. These include two-metre field margins, soil management plans, consent to cultivate permanent pasture, and maintaining stone walls and moorland.

"What happens if someone steals a stone wall?" asks Simon Fisher. "Will the farmer be penalised for not maintaining it? There are lots of practicalities and potential costs to Defra's proposals, but some of the proposals could create very significant problems and are contrary to the spirit of the recent CAP reform.

"We want as many of our members as possible to read and participate in the consultation and let us know how they feel. It is important that farmers and NFU make more sense of these pre-conditions."