Unravelling the SFP confusion
SOME CONFUSION has been caused by the new codes that have been allocated to different land uses under the single farm payment. Strange as it may seem the majority of crops grown in 2005 are covered simply by “other”.
What crops are covered under the OT1 code?
OT1 basically is a catch-all code for all the crops that do not have a specific code. Broadly speaking, protein crops, energy crops, horticultural crops and set-aside have their own codes but all other arable cropping (wheat, barley, oilseed rape, sugar beet) is covered by OT1. OT1 also includes land not wholly in production (GAEC 12) and game cover not being used as set-aside.
For example, there is no longer any need to differentiate between a field split between wheat, oilseed rape and non-set-aside game cover – it is all OT1. OT1 also applies to multi-annual crops but not permanent crops (PC1) or other non-eligible crops (NE1). Since the guidance book has been printed, a new code has been created for hops (HO1). Woodlands not in any special schemes are forests, FR1.
What code should I use for my set-aside?
Code SA1 should be used for all set-aside unless it is non-food set-aside, multi-annual set-aside or the old guaranteed scheme for which there are separate codes.
We have some areas of land currently coded NA1 (non-agricultural use) which we plan to return to eligibility/production. Should we establish entitlements on them?
Yes, if the use is temporary in nature and land will return to agricultural activity shortly. Remember that entitlements must be activated within three years before they are lost to the reserve, although because farmers can “rotate” entitlements this should not be an issue providing they have at least one-third of the land area relative to the number of entitlements they hold.
If we have Countryside Stewardship grass margins should we submit sketch maps showing them separate from the main field?
No maps are required for any of the agri-environment areas listed in Paragraph 29 of the handbook. This includes CSS margins, beetle banks and some arable stewardship, ESA and habitat scheme components.
Set-aside regulations and definitions under the new system will be very different from IACS and this has caused complications when filling in the claim forms.
If a field has been in grass for five years, then put in to an arable crop, does it count in the area on which set-aside must be calculated or not?
Land use on May 15, 2003 is important in determining both requirements for set-aside and eligibility for set-aside. Broadly speaking, land that was under a permanent crop or permanent pasture (Para 25 of set-aside guidance notes) in 2003 does not require set-aside and will not be allocated set-aside entitlements even if it is now in the arable rotation.
DEFRA will allocate proportionally the correct number of set-aside entitlements to your holding based on the eligible land you are establishing SFP on in 2005 (8% lowland, 1.3% SDA non-moorland, 0% SDA moorland). Thus having a “buffer” above the 8% will mean no risk of additional set-aside, it will simply be treated as GAEC 12 land.
Land eligible to be used as set-aside follows similar rules (ie it had to be in non-permanent cropping on 15 May 2003) unless it was in a qualifying EU agri-environmental or woodland scheme and the application was submitted after June 28, 1995. It can then be used as set-aside even if it does not meet the definition of arable land. In most cases, however, it will be more financially lucrative to claim the agri-environment or woodland scheme payment rather than the set-aside payment on this land.
Also remember that you must have the correct amount of set-aside in each region – and that a business may be exempt in one region but not another (the small producer thresholds are different in the regions – 19.48ha in the lowland and 122.36ha in the SDA non- moorland).