The end of EFA, Good or Bad?

[Pan mixer]

I understand that the Environmental Focus Area requirement will no longer be part of future claims for Single Farm Payment.

Is this good for farmers or not? Is it going to be bad for the environment?

For myself it will mean the end of significantly tedious paperwork (if that is what it is called when it is all done online) but it won't stop me having those environmentally friendly options.

Many arable farms will have got most of their EFA from hedges, edge strips and so on. For us mixed farmers none of that would count from permanent pasture fields of which we have loads and so I have had to opt for cover crops given that my pollen and nectar options and winter bird cover are not eligible for EFA.

I will probably carry on with cover cropping as it seems like a solid plan though.

What about everyone else?

 

[Steevo]

One less complication to get pulled up on is always a good thing.

Here it just means an extra field cropped rather than fallow.

The regulation that would make a big difference is hedge cutting in August. Currently have miles to go at ahead of digging ditches, but can’t so all hedge cutting and ditch digging get pushed off until September.