CAP Reform Q&A Online Discussion

[DefraGov]

Hi all, keep your questions coming.

Keep up to date with CAP reform on Defra's blog https://capreform.blog.gov.uk/

 

[Horse]

Do you have any further details of the additional support to be provided to under 40s new entrants. I am starting a farming partnership I turn 40 next month and my partner is 34, we will be farming together as partners in the business. Will we be able to claim any additional payment under the new system?

 

[DefraGov]

A land owner has 10.25ha of entitlements, all of which have been claimed under the SFP. By only claiming for 9.99ha in 2015, would he be able to avoid growing two crops.

Hello 'simon c'
A farmer has to declare all of their agricultural land on their application and meet the greening rules on all of that land, even if they do not activate entitlements against all of that land. You can’t “avoid” greening by claiming for less land than you have on your holding.

 

[David Brooks]

Does the requirement for catch crops to be "established" by 31st August mean they have to be drilled by that date or germinated and so visible above the soil? If the latter, how much of the crop needs to be visible?

 

[DefraGov]

Will HLS and ELS options other than Buffer strips, which we already know about, be allowed as EFA's in the near future?

Hi
The European Commission has agreed that, at a later date, we may be able to add additional landscape features or areas to the list of features available to be used as EFAs. We will not be adding any more to the list for 2015, but we will announce our plans for future scheme years at a later date.

 

[devonshire farmer]

Hello there
No, Kale grown on its own would not count as a catch or cover crop for EFA. The latest leaflet [https://capreform.blog.gov.uk/2014/08/14/new-details-on-cap-now-available/] explains that a cover/catch crop must consist of two types (one cereal and one non-cereal) – the list of suggested crops does not contain kale because the EU rules require that crops that are ‘usually grazed’ should not be used.

Additionally the leaflet explains that catch and cover crops must be planted in the Basic Payment Scheme Year to count as an EFA for that scheme year i.e. crops planted this autumn (2014) will not count as a catch or cover crop as an EFA for 2015. We will be providing more information later in the year, or early next year on catch and cover crops.

Thanks, so we don't need to plant anything for greening until after January 2015 is this correct?

 

[DefraGov]

If somebody who is 43 and has not farmed before were to take on 48 acres of land from Jan 1st 2015, what would be the process for applying for the national reserve to get entitlements? How likely is it that they would be eligible?

Hi
We hope our response to "sleepy" #7 helps you here:

"Eligible new entrants and young farmers will be able to apply for free entitlements from the National Reserve. To qualify as a new entrant the farmer must have started their agricultural activity in 2013 or later and must submit an application for the Basic Payment Scheme not later than two years after the calendar year in which they started their agricultural activity."
New entrants will be able to register to use the CAP Information Service – the new online application and payment service for CAP schemes – and then apply for entitlements if eligible.

 

[Flyer]

Hi,

I help a couple of people complete their single farm payment applications. They are generally older and 2 in particular have absolutely no IT knoweldge what so ever (never touched a computer).

I understand that I can still act as an 'agent' for them under the new scheme, but that they will have to 'register' first. Considering they do not even have an email address, I think this is going to be difficult.

Is there any way that either I can do the registration for them, or alternatively, can they do it via phone or something?

 

[Tarw Coch]

I am a dairy farmer farming in a NVZ. I have a derrogation allowing the use of up to 250kgN/ha but as part of this derrogation i have to have at least 80% grassland. However i am allowed to grow more than 20% of my land as crops such as spring barley or maize provided they are undersown with grass so it is still classed as grassland.
How will this fit in with the BPS, will undersown crops be able to be classed as grassland?

 

[DefraGov]

What is the definition of a cover crop ? How many species etc ? Planting dates ? Termination date ?

Are there minimum establishment standards that have to be met in terms of plant population numbers etc ?

The August leaflet https://capreform.blog.gov.uk/2014/08/14/new-details-on-cap-now-available/ explains that catch and cover crops must be planted in the Basic Payment Scheme Year to count as an EFA for that scheme year i.e. crops planted this autumn (2014) will not count as a catch or cover crop as an EFA for 2015:
Catch and cover crops must consist of a sown mix of at least 2 different cover types (1 cereal and 1 non-cereal) that:
-establish quickly
-achieve ground cover
-will utilise available nutrients
This would include Rye, Vetch, Phacelia, Barley, Mustard, Oats and Lucerne for example. It does not include crops that are usually grazed – except where grass is undersown in a previous crop.

Catch crops will need to be established by 31 August in the Basic Payment Scheme year and retained until at least 1 October in the same year.
Cover crops will need to be established by 1 October in the Basic Payment Scheme year and retained until at least 15 January the following year.
The minimum area of catch/cover crops you can count as part of your EFA is 0.01 hectares.
We will be providing more information in October on catch and cover crops.


post edited to correct link

 

[DefraGov]

Does the requirement for catch crops to be "established" by 31st August mean they have to be drilled by that date or germinated and so visible above the soil? If the latter, how much of the crop needs to be visible?

Hi David

They need to be germinated and visible above the soil.

 

[Woldat]

I am in ELS post Jan 2012.
I have 6m buffer strips next to ditches with 1m cross compliance. Can the cross compliance strip be used as an EFA buffer strip or could another 1m margin be added?

 

[Andy26]

@DefraGov Can I sow my land that will be designated for Fallow for EFA and the three crop rule as of Jan 1st 2015 with a pollinator/nectar mix now?

 

[GreenerGrass]

Thank you for the posts with regard to new entrants/young farmers. I am a qualifying young farmer and started farming in 2014 - with the lack of information available (and I spoke to the RPA at the time, and they suggested I should purchase entitlements as no-one knew what the new scheme would be), I was able to source finance and purchase entitlements just prior to the 15th May deadline, I have claimed on them this year. Will I now be able to sell these entitlements, and apply for new entitlements from the national reserve.

 

[Pan mixer]

I have taken on about 15 ha of extra land in the last year.
Currently this is registered as TG1 but the landlord and I will want it to be permanent pasture.
All my other land is permanent pasture and runs to about 35 ha

can I register this new land as PP next year?

 

[DefraGov]

Does a ditch have to have water flowing in it all year to enable it to have a buffer zone? We have some that only run water Nov to April as they only have field drains and a pond overflow filling them and go dry in the summer

Hello
A buffer strip has to be located next to a watercourse to count as an EFA (or be located on a slope parallel to the watercourse). ‘Watercourses’ are defined as all surface waters, including coastal water, estuaries, lakes, ponds, rivers, streams, canals and field ditches. Temporarily dry watercourses, including ditches, are included.

 

[Mad Farmer]

You say that catch crops should not be grazed, but I am of the belief that that is what catch crops are for. Cover crops are not usually grazed. please verify.

 

[A O Consultancy Ltd]

Will every farmer and agent have to re register on to the new CAP on line system or will the existing government gateway access roll over into the new one?

 

[rob1]

If I wanted to sow down all my arable land to grass for two years would that break the three crop rule

 

[gloria1]

do you have the detailed finalised definition of Active Farmer