Use workbook to check your cross-compliance
Users of the workbook can go through its checklists and note any area where they are sure their farm is compliant, where they are unsure if their farm is not compliant, and where they are unsure about what is required, or require further information. They can compile an action list to follow up areas where they are not compliant, or unsure.
The workbook lists the most common cross-compliance breaches. The top five are cattle identification and registration, nitrates, GAEC, sheep identification and registration, and chemicals and chemical storage.
The most common specific breaches are;
* In cattle identification, CMMS problems in relation to movements, births and deaths; tags missing on cattle; animal passport discrepancies; cattle herd registers not up-to-date.
* In nitrates, inadequate collection of livestock manure; inadequate management of manure storage facilities; structural defects in storage facilities; failure to minimise the creation of soiled water; and farmyard storage on land in prohibited periods.
* In Good Agricultural and Environmental Condition (GAEC), poaching/rutting of permanent pasture; encroachment of invasive species; noxious weeds; and stockproof boundaries.
* In sheep farming, they are inadequate flock registers; sheep census returns and discrepancies; tagging issues.
* In pesticides, un-registered products; incomplete records; no warning signs on the chemical store; inadequate pesticide stores
According to the new Teagasc workbook, no notification is permitted for cross-compliance inspections relating to food hygiene, feedstuffs, welfare of calves and other animals.
The notification requirement can be up to 48 hours for inspections relating to identification and registration of animals — where such notice does not jeopardise the objective of the inspection.
The notification requirement can be up to 14 days for inspections relating to ground eligibility, birds, groundwater, sludge, nitrates, habitats, pesticides, animal health and GAEC — where such notice does not jeopardise the objective of the inspection. It is important that all records as required are maintained and available for inspection.
This user guide does not cover every cross compliance question. Full checklists for each Statutory Management Requirement (SMR) are on the DAFM’s www.agriculture.gov.ie website.
