USEFUL DATES/FACTS

Single Farm Payments/Set-Aside

2006

From 1st January	You must also comply with the additional seven new SMR's
15th January	Start of the set-aside period. You must have an acceptable green cover in place and must not graze set-aside land (unless an exemption applies).
13th January - 15th July	Avoid operations on set-aside land in this period as you could harm nesting birds and other wildlife. If action is essential, take steps to minimise the disturbance to wildlife (set-aside management requirement and GAEC 12)
1st February	Default date for the start of the 10 month period during which you must have land at your disposal (unless you specify a different date on the application form).
1st March to 31st July (inclusive)	You must not cut or trim any hedgerow on your farm (GAEC 15). For further information, including exceptions to this rule, please refer to GAEC 15.
1st March	Land under long-term GAEC 12 should normally have a green cover established by this date.
15th April	Earliest date on which you can use non-selective herbicides on set-aside land (set-aside management requirement).
30th April	Final date on which the ten-month period for having land at your disposal can begin if you are claiming payment under the SPS in 2006
15th May	Closing date for SPS applications (without incuring late payment penalties).
Spring 2006	Updated regulations regarding sewage sludge (SMR 3) are expected to come into force.
9th June	Last date for submitting SPS applications (reductions will have started accumulating after 15th May).
15th July	You can sow crops on set-aside land for harvest in 2007.
15th July to 15th or 31st August	Compulsory cut of green cover on set-aside land (15th August) or destruction (31st August) (unless an exemption applies).
After 31st July	Hegerows can be cut from this date. Also GAEC 12 vegetation can be cut from this date.
31st August	End of set-aside period.
1st September	You must have completed your Soil Protecion Review template by this date.
1st October	The first date at which the ten month period for having land at your disposal can begin for a parcel of land that will support a claim under SPS in 2007.
From 1st January 2007	You will be required to comply with an additional three SMR's. You will need to start implementing the actions identified in your Soil Protection Review.

For more details see the DEFRA website: www.defra.gov.uk

Countryside Stewardship

Annual Payment Examples			Payment/yr for 10 yrs
Arable reversion*			£280/ha (£113/ac)
Arable 2m margin			£400/ha (£162/ac)
Arable 6m margin			£533/ha (£216/ac)
Wildlife Seed Mix			£510/ha (£418/ac)
Linear bridleway permissive			£1033/ha (£418/ac)
Access over 6m margin			£150pa plus
Managing grassland			From £85/ha (£35/ac)
*Plus further arable options

It is proposed that the Countryside Stewardship Scheme and the ESA scheme will be reviewed by 2005 and subsequently become the Entry Level Scheme(ELS) and Higher Level Scheme(HLS).Therefore, the deadline for final Countryside Stewardship applications has been brought forward to 31st March 2004.

Woodland Grant Scheme

Payment Examples			Capital/ha
Predominantly conifers			£700
Broadleaf<10ha			£1350
Broadleaf>10ha			£1050
Natural regeneration and restocking			£325-£525
Better land supplement			£600
			Annual/ha
Annual management grant			£35
Eligible land			£300
Improve land			£260

Require 1 ha of tree planting, block sizes minimum 0.25ha.
Land used towards setaside requirement paid at set-aside rate prevailing.

Entry Level Stewardship - Point Allocation

Options for boundary features

Code	Option	Units	Points
EB1	Hedgerow management (on both sides of hedge)	100 m	22
EB2	Hedgerow management (on one side of hedge)	100 m	11
EB3	Enhanced hedgerow management	100 m	42
EB4	Stone-faced hedgebank management on both sides	100 m	16
EB5	Stone-faced hedgebank management on one side	100 m	8
EB6	Ditch management	100 m	24
EB7	Half ditch management	100 m	8
EB8	Combined hedge and ditch management (incorporating EB1 hedge management)	100 m	38
EB9	Combined hedge and ditch management (incorporating EB2 hedge management)	100 m	26
EB10	Combined hedge and ditch management (incorporating EB3 hedge management)	100 m	56
EB11	Stone wall protection and maintenance	100 m	15

Options for trees and woodland

EC1	Protection of in-field trees - arable	Tree	12
EC2	Protection of in-field tress - grassland	Tree	8
EC3	Maintenance of woodland fences	100 m	4
EC4	Management of woodland edges	ha	380

Options for Historic and Landscape features

ED2	Take archaelogical features currently on cultivated land out of cultivation	ha	460
ED3	Reduce cultivation depth on land where there are archaeological features	ha	60
ED4	Management of scrub on archaeological sites	ha	120
ED5	Archaelogical features on grassland	ha	16

Options for buffer strips and field margins

EE1	2m buffer strips on cultivated land	ha	300
EE2	4m buffer strips on cultivated land	ha	400
EE3	6m buffer strips on cultivated land	ha	400
EE4	2m buffer strips on intensive grassland	ha	300
EE5	4m buffer strips on intensive grassland	ha	400
EE6	6m buffer strips on intensive grassland	ha	400
EE7	Buffering in-field ponds in improved grassland	ha	400
EE8	Buffering in-field ponds in arable land	ha	400

Options for arable land

EF1	Field Corner management	ha	400
EF2	Wild bird seed mixture	ha	450
EF3	Wild bird seed mixture on set-aside land	ha	85
EF4	Pollen and nectar flower mixture	ha	450
EF5	Pollen and nectar flower mix on set-aside land	ha	85
EF6	Over-wintered stubbles	ha	120
EF7	Beetle banks	ha	580
EF8	Skylark plots	plot	5
EF9	Conservation headlands in cereal fields	ha	100
EF10	Conservation headlands in cereal fields with no fertilisers or manure	ha	330
EF11	6m uncropped, cultivated margins on arable land	ha	400

Options to encourage a range of crop types

EG1	Undersown spring cereals	ha	200
EG2	Wild bird seed mixture in grassland areas	ha	450
EG3	Pollen and nectar seed mixtures in grassland areas	ha	450
EG4	Cereals for whole crop silage followed by over-wintered stubbles	ha	230
EG5	Brassica fodder crops followed by over-wintered stubbles	ha	90

Options to protect soils

EJ1	Management of high erosion risk cultivated land	ha	18
EJ2	Management of maize crops to reduce soil erosion	ha	18

Options for lowland grassland outside LFA

EK1	Take field corners out of management	ha	400
EK2	Permanent grassland with low input	ha	85
EK3	Permanent grassland with very low inputs	ha	150
EK4	Management of rush pastures (outside LFA)	ha	150
EK5	Mixed stocking	ha	8

Options for the Uplands (LFA land)

EL1	Field corner management (LFA land)	ha	100
EL2	Manage permanent in-bye grassland	ha	35
EL3	Manage in-bye pasture and meadows with very low inputs	ha	60
EL4	Management of rush pastures (LFA land)	ha	60
EL5	Enclosed rough grazing	ha	35
EL6	Moorland and rough grazing	ha	5

Management Plans

EM1	Soil management plan	ha	3
EM2	Nutrient management plan	ha	2
EM3	Manure management plan	ha	2
EM4	Crop protection management plan	ha	2

ALL INFORMATION INCLUDED ON THESE PAGES IS FOR GUIDANCE ONLY & DOES NOT CONSTITUTE RECOMMENDATION FROM AGRIVICE LTD

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For more information call Agrivice on Tel: 01986 781 774

Countryside Stewardship

Payment/yr for 10 yrs

Woodland Grant Scheme

Capital/ha