NFU queries hedge-cutting dates

FARM LEADERS are questioning DEFRA‘s decision to restrict hedge cutting in England between Mar 1 and July 31 as part of cross-compliance.

The NFU is bewildered by the decision because producers taking part in the pilot of the Entry Level Scheme have only had to comply with an Apr 1-July 31 ban.

The dates are also different from those used for the management of set-aside, where farmers are asked to avoid cutting between Apr 1 and July 15.

Andrew Clark, NFU environment team leader, said the union felt there was inconsistency.

“We also feel it makes little sense to have the same cutting dates for lowland and upland areas. What we would like is a later cutting date for hill areas.”

Dr Clark said the union was pressing DEFRA to change the dates for upland areas to Apr 1 through to Jul 31.

For lowland areas it thought the dates should be brought into line with the set-aside rules.

“We‘ve also raised with DEFRA the idea of a derogation for hedge management [such as laying] in March,” he added.

“The final point we have made is that DEFRA needs to look at cross-compliance and ELS as a package.

If the majority of hedges are entered into the ELS – where hedge cutting is biennial – that will benefit birds.”

But a spokesman for the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds said the charity wanted to keep the dates as Mar 1-July 31.

“We are hoping those dates will be kept to, and we would be concerned if they were changed even for the uplands.

“But now that 2m strips are being introduced, we hope there will be less incentive for farmers to cut hedges.”

The spokesman added that the RSPB would ideally like farmers to cut their hedges in September and in a two or three-year rotation.

A DEFRA spokeswoman pointed out that the ELS pilot was launched before decisions were taken on cross-compliance.

“These decisions are currently under review and may change in the near future,” she added.