Dairy Event 2011: Avoid cross compliance fines

Breaching cross compliance rules can carry a heavy financial penalty, yet many of the most common errors are easily avoidable, farmers have been told.

“Everyone who claims a Single Farm Payment must be ready for an inspection at any time, with only 48 hours notice,” Charles Mayson from advisors Cross Compliance Solutions told a seminar at the Dairy Event and Livestock Show.

“Standard penalties are 5% of the Single Farm Payment per breach, yet could be more for intentional breaches.”

He said the most common problems that needed addressing included:

• Missing ear tags or errors with movement records – e.g. cow present with no passport or passport held, but no cow
• Failure to calculate whole farm manure loading correctly
• Soil Protection Review book not completed and updated correctly
• Issues where grass keep has been used on land with a different holding number, but hasn’t been recorded as a movement off farm
• Inadequate slurry storage to comply with new Nitrate Vulnerable Zone rules

“Unfortunately there are no excuses any more and no second chances. The RPA is getting a lot stricter with payment reductions, making compliance even more important.”

See our full coverage of the Dairy Event and Livestock Show.

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