BPS Flashcards
Where do funds for support payments come from?
A combination of national government money & EU CAP funds. Most CAP money is awarded as direct support payments, but some is used to deliver rural development measures, including agri-environment schemes.
What must you have to claim BPS?
Eligible land Hold BPS entitlements Meet minimum claim size
What land is eligible?
All agricultural land. Woodland, tracks, buildings, yards, solar farms are not, or any other land used for non-agricultural uses, unless they do not exceed 28 days.
On a tenanted farm, who can claim BPS?
The tenant, if they have exclusive possession. If it is a grazing licence than the landlord can make the claim.
What is the minimum claim size?
5 ha
What are the rules on entitlements?
Farmers must activate all their entitlements in a single year at least once every 2 years (can’t rotate)
What is capping?
5% reduction on payments over €150,000. Greening is not subject to this (direct payments only). High levels of capping are expected in 2020.
How capping otherwise known?
Degressivity
How much of a claimant’s BPS is conditional on complying with the Greening rules?
30%
What are the 3 Greening rules?
- Crop Diversification
- Ecological Focus Areas
- Retention of permanent pasture
What are the plans post BREXIT for future payments?
- Same level of funding till 2022 (end of current parliment)
- A scheme like BPS will continue in the short term till 2020.
- By 2028 there will be no direct payments
- Transitional period for 5 years after 2021
- in 2021 all payments up to £30,000 will see a 5% reduction increasing incrementaly by payment band up to over £150,000 which will be reduced by 25%
- ELMs will be phased in (piloted from 2021 to 2024) to replace direct payments
- pay land managers for public good including:
- biodiveristy, landscapes, clean air and water, soils
- other funding will be available to support productivity, animal health & wealfarre, business reslisence and specific aid for upland famringto allow farmers to adjust.
- BPS area payments will tapper during this period. After 2024 payments would be for public good Larger payments will be capped (increasing in 2020)
- The Tenant Farmers Association and the Country Land and Business Association, have called for a delay to any changes in payment schemes until the “economic realities of operating outside the EU are clearer”.
Greening - What are the crop diversification rules?
- 3 crops are required by farmers with more than 30ha
- 2 crops with farmers with 10ha to 30ha.
- No crop diversification requiremnet if less than 10ha
Who is required to have EFAs in order to claim greening?
Farmers with 15ha or more, which have:
- less than 75% of arable land in tomopraru grass, fallow or legumes or
- less than 75% of eligable land in permanent and temporary grass
Are presticides permitted on EFAs?
No
What are the 5 options to satisfy the EFA target?
- Fallow
- Catch & cover crops
- Buffer strip
- Hedgerows or trees in a line
- Nitrogen fixing crops
What is meant by catch and cover crops?
- Catch crops are quick-growing crops that are planted between two regular cropsgrown in consecutive seasons or between two rows of regular crops in the same season.
- Cover crops are planted between main crops to prevent leaching or soil erosion, or to provide green manure
Name the 3 basic types of land under greening?
- Permanent grassland
- Permanent crops
- Arable land
What counts as Permanent Grassland?
any land that has been grass for 5 years (out of the arable rotation)
Grass includes other ‘herbaceous forage’ (lucerne, sainfoin, clovers). Maize & Kale etc are arable
From 2018, fallow land is also counted as permanent grassland (only applies from 2018 onwards so cant apply till 2023)
What is meant by Permanent Crops?
Any land in crops for 5 years or more, without replanting and yields repeated harvests. (eg miscanthus, short rotation coppice, nurseries, vines & orchards)
What is meant by Arable land?
Any eligable land that is not permenant grassland or permenant crops. It includes fallow and temporary grass (incl herbaceous forage) as well as crops
Does greening apply for organic land?
No
How much or your land has to be in EFAs?
5% of the holdings Arable land
Can land under agri-enviro schemes count towards greening?
Yes, although EU double funding ruels mean that some agricironement payments will be reduced were there is an overlap.
Crop diversification.
If required to grow 3 crops, how much of your arable land can your main crops and combined, two main crops cover?
If you need to grow at least 3 crops, your main crop cannot cover more than 75% of your arable land and your 2 main crops must not cover more than 95%.
