Single Farm Payment 10-month rule to be scrapped

Cross-compliance rules are to be simplified throughout Europe, following a political agreement reached by EU farm ministers on Monday (21 January).

The main change means that farmers will no longer have to manage a parcel of land for at least 10-months in order to claim single farm payment against it.

Instead, member states will be able to choose a single date on which the farmer has to have rights to the land in order for it to qualify for SFP.

Another important change will see farmers exempted from non-compliance fines of less than €100 (£75), while minor infringements – such as a lost ear tag or miscalculation of stocking rates – will be dealt with by a warning letter.

EU farm ministers also agreed to phase in the full cross compliance rules to the new member states.

Rules governing environmental protection, cattle ID and meat traceability must be in place by the end of this year.

Rules governing plant health and animal welfare must be in place from January 2011.

The EU Commission’s plans to simplify cross-compliance were first proposed in March 2007.