No ‘crop’ sown, no single payment

THE European Commission has stipulated that a crop (including grassland) must be grown on all tillage land, unless it is set-aside, as part of the cross-compliance requirements to qualify for decoupled single farm payments.

In general, farmers must take all reasonable steps to ensure that soil is covered by vegetation or else ploughed, with the intention of sowing a crop as soon as possible.

If the ratio of permanent pasture to total agricultural area falls by more than 5%, it will be necessary to obtain prior authorisation to plough. If the ratio change is greater than 10%, it will be necessary to re-convert land into permanent pasture.

The management of animals outdoors must not result in severe poaching causing the movement of soil, particularly at supplementary feeding sites and “sacrifice paddocks.”

In disadvantaged areas, a minimum stocking rate of 0.15 livestock units per hectare will still be required to qualify for Compensatory Allowances.

Where this stocking rate is inadequate to prevent under grazing, other measures must be taken to maintain the existing state of vegetation in good agricultural and environmental condition.

In Ireland, the Department of Agriculture and Food has invited responses to these and other European Commission cross-compliance requirements, as part of a consultation process in the preparation of Cross Compliance obligations for farmers in Ireland receiving direct payments under the Single Payment Scheme, from next January.

Respondents can inspect the full consultation document on the Department’s www.agriculture.gov.ie website.

On or before Friday, November 19, 2004, responses must be e-mailed or sent to [e-mail] or to Liam Burke, Department of Agriculture and Food, Michael Davitt House, Castlebar, Co. Mayo.