Cross Compliance / DAFM Regulation

Cross Compliance / DAFM Regulation

Updated Monday 25th September 2023
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Important dates for Tillage Farmers

Important dates for tillage farmers this autumn

 
Action Date
Chemical fertiliser Prohibited start date Sept 15th 
Slurry application Prohibited start date Oct 1st (now Oct 8th)
Farmyard manure application  Prohibited start date Nov 1st 
Fertiliser register - enter closing stock for 2023 Deadline Oct 15st 
Ploughing grassland Between 1st July and 15th October, have the necessary measures taken place within 14 days of ploughing to provide for emergence of green cover from a sown crop
Ploughing grassland  The ploughing of all grassland is prohibited between 16th October and 30th November
Ploughing grassland  The ploughing of grassland land with a slope of 20% or more, between 1st December and 31st December, is prohibited.
Ploughing arable land  Where arable land is ploughed between 1st July and 30th November the necessary measures, shall be taken within 14 days of ploughing to provide for emergence of green cover
Ploughing arable land The ploughing of arable land with a slope of 15% or more, between 1st December and 31st December, is prohibited
Arable land not subject to stubble cultivation (20-25%) The 20 – 25% of land that is not shallow cultivated must not have any herbicides applied until at least 1st of February the following year, unless a crop has been planted.
Ploughing arable land  Land ploughed between the 1st of December and 15th January must be maintained with a rough surface prior to a crop being sown
Non selective herbicide If applying a non-selective herbicide to arable land between 1st July and 30th November, take the necessary measures to provide for the emergence of green cover (either sown or natural regeneration) within 6 weeks of application
Non selective herbicide In the case of seed crops and crops for human consumption, where a contract prohibits pre-harvest use of a non-selective herbicide, the requirement to provide green cover is reduced to 75% of the contracted area where the herbicide is applied after 15th October
Non selective herbicide  Do not remove sown green cover before 1st December by the use of non-selective herbicides unless a crop is sown within 2 weeks of its removal

 

 


Useful Documents

Useful Documents

Basic Income Support for Sustainability (BISS) Terms and Conditions 2023

  (includes Eco Scheme p16, Protein Aid Scheme p 37, Straw incorporation Measure p 41, Acres P 47) 

Explanatory Handbook for Conditionality Requirements

Nitrates directive S.I. No. 113/2022

Important to refer to amendments especially with reference to stubble cultivation changes

AGRI-CLIMATE RURAL ENVIRONMENT SCHEME (Acres) 

Acres Specifications - November 2022  

 Acres Terms and Conditions - November 2022

 


Crop Diversification

Crop Diversification

All farmers must comply with the rules for 2024 to claim the BISS entitlements.  Explanatory Handbook for Conditionality Requirements (page 83) 

The aim of this measure is to encourage crop diversity.  It is important to complete your calculations on the Maximum Eligible Area (MEA) for the LPIS parcel number and not the claimed area.  You cannot claim a lower area to avoid greening requirements or to reduce the extent of the requirements.

The normal rules of crop diversification are as follows:

  • There is no ‘crop diversification’ requirement where a farmer declares less than 10 hectares of arable land.
  • Between 10 and 30 hectares of arable land, a farmer is obliged to grow at least two crops, and any one crop cannot exceed 75% of the arable land.
  • Over 30 hectares of arable land, the farmer is obliged to grow at least 3 crops, of which the main crop shall not cover more than 75% of the arable land; the 2 main crops together must not cover more than 95% of the arable land.   Permanent grassland does not count as a crop for the three crop rules.  However temporary grassland can be counted as a crop and therefore comes into the calculation if greening is required.

Crop Rotation at a parcel level 

Holdings with an arable area equal to or greater than 10ha must implement a crop rotation which requires at least two different crops to be sown at parcel level over
a four year cycle.  The reference year for crop rotation is 2023, therefore there must be at least two different crops within an arable parcel over the period 2023-
2026 inclusive.
Examples 
Year Crop in parcel Crop in parcel Crop in parcel Crop in parcel
2023 Spring barley  Spring Wheat Winter Wheat winter barley

2024

Spring barley  Beans Winter Wheat oilseed rape
2025 Spring barley  Winter Wheat beet Winter Wheat
2026 Spring barley  winter barley  Winter Wheat Spring barley 
Compliant (Yes or No) No Yes Yes Yes

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