EFA fallow

[Green oak]

14 hectares, blackgrass on head can’t spray but can mow. Madness.

 

[Brisel]

Top it as high as you dare because next time it will head up from a lower height. At least in the days of setaside you could spray it all off from 15th May.

 

[Flat 10]

14 hectares, blackgrass on head can’t spray but can mow. Madness.

But you knew there was BG before you submitted the form?

 

[Against_the_grain]

Crazy. Why cant you spray? Surely your going to create more habitat destruction by mowing if that's what they are trying to avoid?

 

[bankrupt]

in the days of setaside you could spray it all off from 15th May.

Sadly, setaside was not as environmentally friendly to blackgrass as was originally hoped.

 

[Green oak]

I had the idea that you could spray. Then put a efa approved mix in. Just have to mow it. Sod the mix.

 

[Brisel]

Page 45 of this https://assets.publishing.service.g...ta/file/873120/BPS_2020_scheme_rules_v1.0.pdf

 

[bankrupt]

"Cultivation . . . . will be permitted where it is required to establish a wild bird mix . . ."

We've done mechanical cultivation for all of ours again this time but, as it stands, the rule certainly doesn't currently rule out a chemical alternative.

 

[Brisel]

"Cultivation . . . . will be permitted where it is required to establish a wild bird mix . . ."

We've done mechanical cultivation for all of ours this time but, as it stands, the rule doesn't currently rule out a chemical alternative.

Yes, it does rule out all chemicals. Read the first bit I took a screen shot from.

 

[bankrupt]

does rule out all chemicals. Read the first bit

and rules out all cultivations - the second bit.

edit:- the rules seem even more obscure for next year's EFA:-

"if a farmer declares a cover crop as an EFA on their 2020 application, and then follows this with fallow land, they can declare it as EFA fallow land in their BPS 2021 application (even though the management requirements overlap for 15 days because cover crops sown in 2020 must be retained until at least 15 January 2021 and the rules for fallow land must be followed from 1 January 2021). They must not destroy the cover crop before the 15 January. Any activities that would destroy the cover crop such as the use of herbicides and cultivation to control weeds (for example, Blackgrass, Ragwort, Hemlock) may only take place after 15 January 2021. Similarly, carrying out drainage work, sowing of wild bird seed mixes and/or nectar sources, topping of green cover or previous crop residue may only take place after 15 January 2021."

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/873120/BPS_2020_scheme_rules_v1.0.pdf

(p 44)

Clearly, the guidance for 2021, Brisel, must have been written under misapprehensions similar to mine.

 

[Steevo]

and rules out all cultivations - the second bit.

edit:- the rules seem even more obscure for next year's EFA:-

"if a farmer declares a cover crop as an EFA on their 2020 application, and then follows this with fallow land, they can declare it as EFA fallow land in their BPS 2021 application (even though the management requirements overlap for 15 days because cover crops sown in 2020 must be retained until at least 15 January 2021 and the rules for fallow land must be followed from 1 January 2021). They must not destroy the cover crop before the 15 January. Any activities that would destroy the cover crop such as the use of herbicides and cultivation to control weeds (for example, Blackgrass, Ragwort, Hemlock) may only take place after 15 January 2021. Similarly, carrying out drainage work, sowing of wild bird seed mixes and/or nectar sources, topping of green cover or previous crop residue may only take place after 15 January 2021."

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/873120/BPS_2020_scheme_rules_v1.0.pdf

(p 44)

Clearly, the guidance for 2021, Brisel, must have been written under misapprehensions similar to mine.

Cover crops are "in advance" not arrears. So your BPS 2020 application (made now) can include a cover crop intention for this autumn. It's a funny system if you ask me, given that all other details on the BPS form were what's currently in the ground planted in Sept 2019.

 

[Hindsight]

14 hectares, blackgrass on head can’t spray but can mow. Madness.

Do you need this area of Fallow as EFA. Could you achieve EFA using Buffer/Margin strips and /or hedges, If you could then you could amend EFA in your BPS claim and thus return the land to ordinary Fallow which would not have any restrictions.

 

[chipchap]

Do you need this area of Fallow as EFA. Could you achieve EFA using Buffer/Margin strips and /or hedges, If you could then you could amend EFA in your BPS claim and thus return the land to ordinary Fallow which would not have any restrictions.

That is exactly what I have done with some of mine.

 

[bankrupt]

the guidance for 2021,

Similar wording can be found in the guidance for 2020.

" if a farmer declares a cover crop as an EFA on their 2019 application, and then follows this with fallow land, they can declare it as EFA fallow land in their following scheme year’s application . . . . Any activities that would destroy the cover crop such as the use of herbicides and cultivation to control weeds (for example, Blackgrass, Ragwort, Hemlock) may only take place after 15 January 2020."