By Charlotte Lamble, Farming & Wildlife Advisory Group
Significant changes to the ways farmers and land managers receive payment for food production and the management of the natural environment are being introduced in 2005. Some of these changes are driven by CAP reform, while others are reacting to national priorities. Due to the timing and delivery of these two distinct processes, there is huge potential for confusion between the environmental cross compliance requirements and the new Entry Level Scheme. This article aims to clarify the difference between funding received from the Single Payment Scheme and that available through Environmental Stewardship (ES).
The Single Payment Scheme (SPS) The separate payment schemes of the CAP subsidy system have been replaced by one new single payment. To qualify for the new Single Payment farmers will have to meet cross compliance standards and requirements. DEFRA has produced several handbooks covering these standards and has sent them to all farmers.
Cross Compliance is divided into three sets of requirements, all of which must be met in order to receive your Single Payment. There are three types of cross compliance:
• Good Agricultural and Environmental Condition (GAEC) - aimed at ensuring that land is maintained in good agricultural and environmental condition.
• Permanent Pasture - may not be cultivated for any purpose unless an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) has been carried out.
• Statutory Management Requirements (SMR) - these are domestic provisions derived from European Community Directives. The majority of these are already law in the England, so you will not need to make any changes in 2005. However, in January 2006 a further 7 Directives or Regulations will apply.
Part of GAEC that has been causing concern for farmers is the 2m protection zone against hedgerows and watercourses. However, it has been confirmed by DEFRA that this will not apply to fields of less than 2 hectares or adjacent to newly planted hedgerows that are less than five years old. It is also worth noting that spot application of herbicide is permitted for the control of weeds in the 2m protection zone.
Another aspect of GAEC is soil management. This may be of interest to free range egg producers who suffer from bare soils being exposed through the winter. There are three national standards which need to be adhered to: soil erosion, soil structure and organic matter levels. The aim is to reduce the incidence of soil wash and soil erosion to improve environmental standards. During 2005 you should familiarize yourself with the DEFRA guidance for soil management and comply with standards relating to post harvest management of land after combinable crops, water logged soils and burning of crop residues. In 2006 you must produce a simple soil management plan and in 2007 and subsequent years you must implement the plan.
For free range egg producers it will be worth reading GAEC 3 relating to waterlogged soils (particularly in relation to spreading or storing muck on fields in the winter) and GAEC 9 which refers to overgrazing and unsuitable supplementary feeding. Guidance for managing soils under grass is in DEFRA’s Guidance for soil management handbook, section H.
Most farmers already follow the Codes of Good Agricultural Practice and so the soil management part of cross compliance will not be a problem. You will still be able to carry out operations such as cleaning out sheds in the middle of winter but you will need to refer to the guidance first. It will depend on soil type and individual conditions.
Agri-environment payments are completely separate from SPS payments and are paid to farmers and land managers who join ES Schemes. These payments are made in return for carrying out environmentally beneficial land management. Receipt of an agri-environment payment does not in itself affect eligibility for SPS. SPS and ES can be on the same land since they relate to different activities.
Environmental Stewardship Schemes The new agri-environment schemes ES will be launched this year. These will replace the existing schemes, including Countryside Stewardship Scheme (CSS) and Environmentally Sensitive Area (ESA). ES has three components:
• Entry Level Scheme (ELS)
• Organic Entry Level Stewardship (OELS)
• Higher Level Stewardship (HLS) for those able and wanting to deliver higher levels of environmental management and enhancement.
Entry Level Stewardship (ELS) The ELS, and for organic farmers OELS, is available to all farmers and other land managers and entry is guaranteed providing scheme requirements are met. Applicants choose certain environmental commitments (each of which earns points) to attain a points threshold of 30 points per hectare across the whole farm. Farmers and land managers may choose from over 50 management options.
It is designed to be a simple scheme requiring little expert knowledge over that held by a competent farmer, although FWAG will be holding a series of workshops intended to equip farmers to tackle the application process alone. Alternatively, FWAG can undertake the paper work and complete the application on your behalf.
Payment rates for ES:
• Lowland ELS agreements will generate £30/ha across the whole farm.
• LFA agreements will generate £30/ha for fields under 15ha and £8/ha for parcels of land over 15ha.
• OELS agreements will generate £60/ha across the areas of the farm that are registered organic.
• HLS points and payments have yet to be decided.
Higher Level Stewardship (HLS) Aims to deliver significant environmental benefits in specific high priority situations and areas. The scheme will concentrate on the more complex types of management where farmers need advice and support and where agreements need tailoring to local circumstances. FWAG can advise as to whether your application is likely to be successful.
Farmers must enter the ELS before they can apply for the HLS. Another requirement is that an environmental appraisal, called a Farm Environmental Plan (FEP), is written specifically for your Farm. As an official partner organisation, FWAG advisers have been trained to conduct FEPs.
The importance of registering land In order for your land to be eligible for payments under the SPS and ES, you must have registered all the land with the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) in advance of submitting an application.
For the ELS and OELS the whole holding is eligible including non-agricultural land such as woodland, scrub and other marginal areas. It is these areas that are often of high environmental value and therefore it is important that they are included in the application. For example, areas planted with trees and woodland around the chicken houses are not eligible for the SPS but will be eligible for the ELS. It is therefore important to get these areas registered as soon as possible. Obtain form IACS22 from the RPA (Tel 0845 6018045).
For more information on any of the issues outlined in this article then please contact your local FWAG office. Details can be found at www.fwag.org.uk
FWAG is the leading advisory service providing specialist farm environment advice and can help you apply for the ELS. FWAG runs a membership scheme and for just £35 + VAT you can benefit from priority access to specialist advice, telephone support, updates on agri-environment legislation, invitations to farm walks, conferences and workshops and regular newsletters. For further details on membership contact us on 02476 696699.
