Video: CAP greening details expected this month

Further details on how CAP reform rules will be implemented in England are expected to be released later this month.

Farm minister George Eustice told Farmers Weekly he recognised the frustration of farmers who were trying to plan next year’s cropping without knowing how the new rules would affect them.

Many farmers will be expected to grow at least three crops, establish special ecological focus areas on their land and maintain areas of permanent pasture.

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But it remains unclear how exactly these so-called “greening” rules will be implemented – and policed – when they come into effect from 1 January 2015.

Mr Eustice said he expected to make a further announcement on the way Defra would implement greening measures during the course of June.

It was taking “just a little longer” to make sure IT systems were capable of sophisticated mapping procedures, he said.

Mr Eustice made the comments during an interview with Farmers Weekly at the Cambridgeshire County Show on Sunday (2 June).