CAP Reform Q&A Online Discussion

[A O Consultancy Ltd]

Can a farmer plough up arable (TG1) land on 16th May to plant maize and still qualify under the 3 crop rule for BPS?
Also will clover count as a nitrogen fixing crop?

 

[David Brooks]

In relation to buffer strips parallel to and on a slope leading to a watercourse:

Is there a maximum distance from the watercourse?
Can there be a hedge, track or fence or other division between the buffer strip and the watercourse?
Can there be a change of ownership between the buffer strip and the watercourse, with or without a dividing feature?
Bird cover and nectar mixes can be planted on "in field" buffer strips, but can this be done on those strips adjoining a watercourse?

 

[DefraGov]

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?

Hi
To qualify for the Young Farmer Payment, and for entitlements from the National Reserve as a young farmer, you must be no more than 40 in the first year you apply under the Basic Payment Scheme. You must be in control (or joint control) of the holding. We will publish more information about young farmers, as well as new entrants (see the earlier answer to Sleepy), in October.

 

[A O Consultancy Ltd]

i have a list of queries that may have already been answered so apologies in advance, but can you answer the following points?

1. When will we know the management rules for greening EFA areas
2. When will we know what the minimum width the RPA will use to classify a hedge
3. Will clover count as a leguminous crop for dairy farmers
4. Will all farmers have to re-register with RPA
5. How long does fallow land have to be down for?
6. If you leave TG1 Crop until 15th May and then plant maize can you avoid the arable area calculation?
7. When will we know the format for the new BPS 2015 forms?
8. Will agents be able to access the online mapping system well in advance of the application window in order to become familiar with the new format?
9. Will the RPA really be lenient if a Farmer chooses to opt out? The guidance says its compulsory!!

 

[Burnie Gunther]

Can any crop be planted on land destined for fallow, bearing in mind it can not be touched between Jan 1st and June 30th?

Am i then able to do what i want with it on the 1st of July?

 

[DefraGov]

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?

Hi there
Both customers and their agents or helpers will need to register individually on the new online CAP Information Service in order to submit a claim. They will need an e-mail address to do so.
We recognise some customers might not have used online services before, so there will be extra help available for those who need it.
Everyone who hasn’t applied online before will receive a form called ‘extra help to use the CAP Information Service’, which should be filled in by anyone who thinks they might need extra help. Once the form has been returned, the RPA will get in touch to discuss options for help that are available for each applicant. Help from agents such as yourself will be one of those options.

 

[robski]

If I have 100Ha of Arable land, I would need 5Ha of EFA`s, could I plant all the 100Ha with wheat, barley and oats this autumn and then plant a catch crop before 31st August 2015 ? would this satisfy my greening requirements ?

 

[Inspector Cluedo]

Hi

There have been a couple of posts on here recently about changes to the hedgecutting rules, with a rumour (?) that we will not be able to start until September instead of August as we do currently.

Can you confirm if this is the case, and if is just for field hedges or if road hedges are affected as well? Are we still allowed to cut at any time of year for 'road safety'? Is there any guidance on when a road can be cut in the name of 'road safety'?

Thanks

 

[DefraGov]

What will the penalty be if you do not have any EFA, but have 3 crops and maintain PP?

Hi Jon
Those who fail to meet some or all of their greening requirements will be subject to reductions on their greening payment - these will be proportionate to the non-compliance. An additional administrative penalty on the BPS payment will not apply in 2015 or 2016 but may be applied thereafter.

 

[DefraGov]

Where there's a boundary hedge can both landowners claim the hedge area?

Can a buffer strip 2 metres wide be created around a field where there is no ditch or hedge I.e. just a 2 metre wide strip between 2 crops?

Hi Tullah
We don’t have all the details on hedges for EFAs yet, because we’re still discussing some of the rules with the European Commission. In particular, we are checking how hedges that are next to arable land at your disposal on one side (not both) should be measured for EFAs. This means we are not sure yet how hedges should be measured where one side is next to a land parcel under you neighbours control
More information will be published on how these should be measured in October.
On your second question, the land described sounds more like fallow land rather than a buffer strip (it is not alongside a water course). Minimum area of fallow land to count towards EFA are:

• Minimum width of 2m
• Minimum size of 0.01 hectares

 

[DefraGov]

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?

Hi

Government Gateway will not work on the new online CAP Information Service. Every farmer and agent will need a new GOV.UK registration to access the new service. We’ll send a Registration Pack to each customer and agent when it is time for them to register and start using the new service.

 

[doasyoulikey]

On your video you posted on here the other day it looked really fiddle to add all the hedges and other features on the farm, will most of this information be prepopulated from previous records or will we have to add it all? By the looks of it it could take me weeks to do it if I have to start from scratch

 

[Notquiteretired]

Hi

Government Gateway will not work on the new online CAP Information Service. Every farmer and agent will need a new GOV.UK registration to access the new service. We’ll send a Registration Pack to each customer and agent when it is time for them to register and start using the new service.

Will there be an API developed to allow 3rd party software integrate with the new website?

 

[Ugo79]

EFAs and Cover Crops.... My understanding is that any catch or cover crops planted this autumn will not be eligible for the 2015 BPS.

Is this correct?

 

[DefraGov]

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.

Hi
Hope the posts are proving useful.

If you apply for the National Reserve and meet the eligibility criteria as a Young Farmer or New Entrant, you will receive entitlements on any eligible hectares you have in excess of the number of entitlements you already hold. If you have no entitlements, you should receive National Reserve entitlements on all of youreligible land. However, we cannot advise on business decisions in relation to your current entitlements.

 

[A Farmer]

What is the maximum width of buffer strip allowed ?
Could I have for example a 20 meter buffer strip adjacent to a 100meter water course and thus have 20m x 100m x 9m(buffer strip value) = 18000 m2
Or would the calculation be 1m x 100m x 9m = 900 m2 and the remaining 19m width would be classed as fallow land ??

Thanks in advance

Hi , could you please answer my question before you finish at 7 ! As I need to make some imminent decisions on cropping and EFA placement !

Thanks

 

[DefraGov]

@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?

Hi
Yes. The wild bird mix / pollinator / nectar mix can be planted at any time.

 

[DefraGov]

do you have the detailed finalised definition of Active Farmer

Hi Gloria1
Page 2 of the April 2014 leaflet - https://capreform.blog.gov.uk/2014/08/14/new-details-on-cap-now-available/- explained the new active farmer test is part of the Basic Payment Scheme from 2015. As part of this test, the European Commission asked us to classify land which is ‘naturally kept in a state suitable for cultivation and grazing’ and then define a minimum activity that needs to be done on it. We have not identified any land in this category in England, therefore this part of the test will not apply.

As a result, only the first part of the active farmer test, about business activities (railway services, airports,waterworks,real estate services and permanent sport and recreational grounds), will apply. More details about this part of the active farmer test will be published in October.

 

[DefraGov]

Hi , could you please answer my question before you finish at 7 ! As I need to make some imminent decisions on cropping and EFA placement !

Thanks

Hi there, just in time!
For a buffer strip, the calculation of area for EFA is only calculated on the linear length. i.e. 1m length would count as 9sq m. There is no maximum width, but the attributed width would always be the same. We will confirm in October if the remaining area can be counted as fallow land.

 

[Stephen E]

Could I crop my whole farm as normal this autumn and plant a cover crop in autumn 2015 to satisfy the greening rules for the May 2015 claim. Thanks.