Fallow fields count as crops for funding
Fallow as a "crop" has received a large boost as Defra published its latest guidelines on CAP reform last week, writes Jon Birchall.
Under the new Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) fallow can now count as a crop under the crop diversification rules and also count towards the Ecological Focus Area (EFA) requirements, albeit with different rules applying in each case. Many of the existing options already in place under current agri- environment schemes could satisfy the rules for fallow under the BPS, and in 90 per cent of the cases, this will be without penalty to the ELS payments.
Where there isn't an existing agri-environment scheme in place, low combinable crop profitability means that putting land with poor productivity into fallow, is a sensible option. Experience on Balfours' contract farms suggests that winter barley and oilseed rape barely break even at current prices.
Under crop diversification rules, the crop in the ground during the period May 1 to June 30 is the one which counts when the BPS application is submitted.
However, it is important to note that when fallow is used as part of the EFA requirement this period extends from January 1 to June 30 and no crop may be established during this period unless it is a wild bird seed mix or a pollen and nectar mix.
Both of these mixes can satisfy the fairly loose requirements for fallow, hence the need to look carefully at existing agri-environment schemes when considering greening requirements, as these options are frequently found on farm.
There are few management requirements for fallow land and they simply state that no agricultural production can take place during the fallow period and fallow areas must be a minimum of 0.01 hectares and have a minimum width of two metres.
Those farmers and businesses with ELS schemes which commenced on or after the Jan 1, 2012 will shortly receive letters from Natural England explaining how their payments will be reduced under the double funding rules. Agreement holders will be given until November 15 to amend, rescind, or continue with their schemes.
Additional details on the complexity of the Basic Payment Scheme are expected in October.
*Jon Birchall, Balfours Farm Business Adviser, jonbirchall@balfours.co.uk 07450 406 734.
