My latest conspiracy theory ...

Bald Rick

Bald Rick

Moderator
Livestock Farmer
Location
Anglesey
Why not? We all seem to have them and with all the current new "farmer subsidies" such as SFI in England & SFS in Wales, I have come up with a doozy that may well apply to all you boys piling in to SFI herbal leys and flower meadows etc

And it is this:

Once you have signed off & planted your herbs and flowers, you may never be allowed to crop that land again without undergoing an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) screening - which could well lead to a full EIA and refusal

www.gov.uk

Changing uncultivated, semi-natural and rural land: when you need permission

Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) (Agriculture) Regulations protect uncultivated, semi-natural and rural land. Find out when and how to get permission to make changes to land.
www.gov.uk www.gov.uk

You WILL have created an "uncultivated semi-natural habitat"

So read that small print before you sign or there may be tears before bedtime

(Similar to planting trees tbh - once done, it's gone)
 
Jackov Altraids

Jackov Altraids

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Devon
Bald Rick said:
Why not? We all seem to have them and with all the current new "farmer subsidies" such as SFI in England & SFS in Wales, I have come up with a doozy that may well apply to all you boys piling in to SFI herbal leys and flower meadows etc

And it is this:

Once you have signed off & planted your herbs and flowers, you may never be allowed to crop that land again without undergoing an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) screening - which could well lead to a full EIA and refusal

www.gov.uk

Changing uncultivated, semi-natural and rural land: when you need permission

Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) (Agriculture) Regulations protect uncultivated, semi-natural and rural land. Find out when and how to get permission to make changes to land.
www.gov.uk www.gov.uk

You WILL have created an "uncultivated semi-natural habitat"

So read that small print before you sign or there may be tears before bedtime

(Similar to planting trees tbh - once done, it's gone)
Click to expand...


And people wonder why the EA are useless.

I believe they need EIA's for most of the work they SHOULD be doing.
NE says no.
 
Goweresque

Goweresque

Member
Location
North Wilts
Bald Rick said:
Why not? We all seem to have them and with all the current new "farmer subsidies" such as SFI in England & SFS in Wales, I have come up with a doozy that may well apply to all you boys piling in to SFI herbal leys and flower meadows etc

And it is this:

Once you have signed off & planted your herbs and flowers, you may never be allowed to crop that land again without undergoing an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) screening - which could well lead to a full EIA and refusal

www.gov.uk

Changing uncultivated, semi-natural and rural land: when you need permission

Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) (Agriculture) Regulations protect uncultivated, semi-natural and rural land. Find out when and how to get permission to make changes to land.
www.gov.uk www.gov.uk

You WILL have created an "uncultivated semi-natural habitat"

So read that small print before you sign or there may be tears before bedtime

(Similar to planting trees tbh - once done, it's gone)
Click to expand...
Absolutely. Anyone planting any rare species is basically putting up a big sign saying 'Please take control of my land away from me'. And they will.

The only planted SFI options I would ever consider would be ones that can either be sprayed or fertilised (like the winter bird food ones) or can be destroyed for the next crop (such as cover crops etc).
 
Bald Rick

Bald Rick

Moderator
Livestock Farmer
Location
Anglesey
Goweresque said:
Absolutely. Anyone planting any rare species is basically putting up a big sign saying 'Please take control of my land away from me'. And they will.

The only planted SFI options I would ever consider would be ones that can either be sprayed or fertilised (like the winter bird food ones) or can be destroyed for the next crop (such as cover crops etc).
Click to expand...

Be very careful with the small print.

Although, of course, policing any scheme is like buying lottery tickets - be very unlucky to be fingered
 
Scholsey

Scholsey

Member
Location
Herefordshire
Without doubt, whatever the wording is going to be on the new species rich permanent pasture option you can guarantee once you’ve admitted to having some of that you’ve waved your right to ever cultivate/reseed that field ever again!

Will be some seriously stroppy landlords about once they realised their tenant has done that with a load of their ground.
 
Jackov Altraids

Jackov Altraids

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Devon
Bald Rick said:
Why not? We all seem to have them and with all the current new "farmer subsidies" such as SFI in England & SFS in Wales, I have come up with a doozy that may well apply to all you boys piling in to SFI herbal leys and flower meadows etc

And it is this:

Once you have signed off & planted your herbs and flowers, you may never be allowed to crop that land again without undergoing an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) screening - which could well lead to a full EIA and refusal

www.gov.uk

Changing uncultivated, semi-natural and rural land: when you need permission

Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) (Agriculture) Regulations protect uncultivated, semi-natural and rural land. Find out when and how to get permission to make changes to land.
www.gov.uk www.gov.uk

You WILL have created an "uncultivated semi-natural habitat"

So read that small print before you sign or there may be tears before bedtime

(Similar to planting trees tbh - once done, it's gone)
Click to expand...

Sadly, it isn't a conspiracy theory though is it.
It might not happen but all the pieces are in place should any current or future power wish to use it.
If you look at the "Natural England knows best" thread, you would be forgiven for thinking it already is.

And it is particularly terrible legislation. You are assumed to be guilty in that it is an offence not to ask NE for a screening decision to be sure you don't need an EIA. You are then legally submitting to their will with very little right to appeal whatever they decide.

And the government need to get their 1.5 million extra acres for nature from somewhere. . . . . . . . . .
 
Jackov Altraids

Jackov Altraids

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Devon
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ollie989898

ollie989898

Member
Location
Hanging from a twig, in a deep sleep.
Bald Rick said:
Why not? We all seem to have them and with all the current new "farmer subsidies" such as SFI in England & SFS in Wales, I have come up with a doozy that may well apply to all you boys piling in to SFI herbal leys and flower meadows etc

And it is this:

Once you have signed off & planted your herbs and flowers, you may never be allowed to crop that land again without undergoing an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) screening - which could well lead to a full EIA and refusal

www.gov.uk

Changing uncultivated, semi-natural and rural land: when you need permission

Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) (Agriculture) Regulations protect uncultivated, semi-natural and rural land. Find out when and how to get permission to make changes to land.
www.gov.uk www.gov.uk

You WILL have created an "uncultivated semi-natural habitat"

So read that small print before you sign or there may be tears before bedtime

(Similar to planting trees tbh - once done, it's gone)
Click to expand...


I have posted to this effect several times already because I could foresee the problem occurring. As if none of you have had enough warning from the AJCC thread. You are entirely at the mercy of the ministry which is populated entirely by people with ecology, botany and archaeology degrees who interpret and enforce the rules as they see fit.

You guys were warned and this should be the last one.

Better to diversify, never take their funny money and have businesses that are never again at the behest of poorly conceived government policy. When Labour get in- which I am sure they will before long- they will change it all again anyway.
 
ollie989898

ollie989898

Member
Location
Hanging from a twig, in a deep sleep.
Bald Rick said:
An EIA kicks in when there are less than 25% ryegrasses or other improved agricultural grass. Will that be the case at the end of 5 years? Probably not
Click to expand...

I would say in your case and it being a major agricultural business right in the place it is, the ministry would be all over any scheme you entered and try to stop you farming any entered land ever again. Far too high profile would be my gut feel.
 
Bald Rick

Bald Rick

Moderator
Livestock Farmer
Location
Anglesey
ollie989898 said:
I would say in your case and it being a major agricultural business right in the place it is, the ministry would be all over any scheme you entered and try to stop you farming any entered land ever again. Far too high profile would be my gut feel.
Click to expand...

Well they got very upset when we drilled maize in to a SSSI

Quite unsavoury looking some of these ecologists
 
Tags
application cover crops cultivate environmental grass herbal land rover maize management microbial organic plough renewal reseed roots ryegrass sfi spraying wheat

SFI - What % were you taking out of production?

  • 0 %

    Votes: 105 40.5%

  • Up to 25%

    Votes: 94 36.3%

  • 25-50%

    Votes: 39 15.1%

  • 50-75%

    Votes: 5 1.9%

  • 75-100%

    Votes: 3 1.2%

  • 100% I’ve had enough of farming!

    Votes: 13 5.0%
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