Everything farmers need for 2021 cross-compliance inspection
© Tim Scrivener Defra has issued a list of all the records that a Rural Payments Agency inspector will want to see if a farm is picked for a cross-compliance inspection.
The idea is to give farmers in England an opportunity to get their paperwork ready, so the inspection is more straightforward.
It is part of efforts by the government to improve the inspections regime and potentially speed up the turnaround of post-inspection reports.
See also: Cross-compliance rule change for 2021
The main records required are as follows:
Nitrate Vulnerable Zones (NVZs)
For farms in an NVZ, farmers will need to show evidence of nutrient management planning.
The inspector will ask to see records for selected parcels of land.
This means the details of planned and actual applications of manufactured nitrogen fertiliser and organic manures for the past 12 months on any grass parcels or permanent crops.
For arable or horticultural crops, the records will need to show planned and actual applications of manufactured nitrogen fertiliser and organic manures for the growing season so far.
There will also need to be evidence that nutrient management records have been maintained and kept for the past five years, along with proof that you have complied with the N-max limit for different crop types.
Livestock manure nitrogen farm limit calculation
This calculation is designed to check whether a farm is compliant with the 170kg nitrogen/ha limit on livestock manure produced by grazing animals or imported and exported from the holding.
It must be completed and recorded by 30 April each year for the preceding calendar year.
Storing organic manure
The inspector will need to check that any farm in an NVZ complies with the minimum storage capacity for any livestock slurry or poultry manures.
The storage periods are:
- 1 October to 1 April (6 months) for pigs and poultry
- 1 October to 1 March (5 months) for other livestock
The inspector will physically inspect storage facilities to check their size, capacity and type; general state of repair; and compliance with the required freeboard for lagoons and tanks (where safe to do so).
Risk map
For land in an NVZ, a risk map of the holding is required, identifying potential risk areas when spreading organic manures, including springs, land with a slope of more than 12deg and land within 10m of surface water.
It should also show land that is low risk for run-off and sites suitable for temporary field stores.
A risk map is also required for land outside an NVZ, but less information is required.
Food and feed law
The inspector will want to see two purchase invoices for bought-in feed or livestock and two sales invoices of food, feed or livestock sold off the holding since 1 January.
Veterinary medicines record
Farmers will need to produce their veterinary medicines record so the inspector can make a note of the date of the last treatment, product used and withdrawal period.
Cattle movement records
For anyone in a 12 month or less TB testing parish, the inspector will review the cattle movement records for the past 60 days to ensure compliance with any pre-movement TB testing requirements.
Dairy hygiene
Where there is a milking herd, the inspector will look over the herd to check general animal health and welfare.
They will also inspect the milking parlour, tank room (where they will check tank temperatures and look at delivery receipts to check bactoscan levels) and look at the condition of any other facilities.
Pig movement and identification
The inspector will need to check the last 25 movements or the last three years of pig movement records.
They will also check pig herd records/books.
The inspector will want to see all pig stock present on the day of inspection and read any identification marks (tags, tattoos or temporary paint marks) of pigs purchased over the age of 12 months and any pigs under the age of 12 months that have been purchased through a market.
Feed mixing
Where there are pigs, cattle, goats or sheep on the holding, the inspector will inspect areas or facilities where feed is mixed, stored and used.
Plant protection products
For a list of selected land parcels, the inspector will want to see records of pesticide use.
For grass parcels this will be applications over the past 12 months, for winter crops it will be applications since the autumn, and for spring crops it will be applications for the growing season to date.
Soil erosion
The inspector will ask what measures you have in place to limit soil erosion on a list of parcels of land. This discussion will cover issues such as cropping practices, livestock management, use of machinery and managing wind erosion.
Agricultural activity
The inspector will confirm who is carrying out the agricultural activity on the holding.
If you are not the owner, user or sole user of all the land parcels on the holding, the inspector will need to see any tenancy agreements, Farm Business Tenancies (FBTs), grazier licences, or contract farming agreements for those land parcels.
Special consents
If there is land designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), Special Protection Area (SPA) or Special Area of Conservation (SAC), the inspector will check for any consents from Natural England to carry out specified operations on that land.
Water abstraction
If a business extracts more than 20cu m of water in 24 hours it must have an abstraction licence and be able to show abstraction records.
Groundwater
If a business has a permit from the Environment Agency to dispose of chemical washings or sheep dip on the holding direct into the soil, the inspector will want to confirm its details.
If you have discharged sheep dip or waste chemical products, the inspector will need to check your application records and any historic records for the past six years.
They will also need to check the facilities you use, for example, dip and drain pens and see a written accident management plan.
For a more detailed list of records required, read Defra’s cross-compliance inspections – information needed for an inspection.