Hindsight
Member
- Location
- Lincolnshire
Here’s the latest version
https://www.gov.uk/countryside-stewardship-grants/two-year-sown-legume-fallow-ab15#history
there are now some inconsistencies with the recommended seed mix such as now no species can be more the 50% by weight, but the recommended mix has 66% ryegrass, and there must be a minimum of 6 flowering species but the recommended mix only has 5 species total!
Few things.
1 - I have been involved putting together a couple of Mid Tiers. In both used AB15 'incorrectly' in that small areas planned to be in same place for five years, rather than AB8 which was probably the 'correct' option. I was told by NE that leaving in same place was not the initial intention but the rules did not forbade that as AB15 is an arable 'crop' so can follow AB15; and there is a window from 15 August to 7 September to re-establish Ab15 after two years. I will have to see how an inspector views this if the schemes are inspected through there lifetime!!
2 - This tweaking with the option rules is so understandable, but can create issues at inspection leading to penalties if one is working off the wrong edition of the rule book. That happened with ELS. Can imagine the confusion on forums such as this once there is more than one prescription for an option. And Mr Eustace and the other stupid ministers waffle on about reducing bureaucracy - fools with no idea what it is like when the RPA inspectorate visit.
Hey ho.