OREANDA-NEWS. Updated guidance on EU greening rules to help farmers applying for Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) payments in 2016, make their ‘greening’ calculations has been published.

The rules cover three areas – crop diversification, Ecological Focus Areas (EFAs) and measures to maintain permanent grassland.

Update for 2016

The key changes to the greening rules are :

  • Oilseed radish can now count (as part of a mix) as an EFA catch and/or cover crop.
  • Some EFA features can now be up to 5 metres away from arable land, rather than immediately next to it.

Which farmers are affected?

  • Farmers with 10 or more hectares of arable land need to follow the crop diversification greening rule.
  • Farmers with more than 15 hectares of arable land must also follow the EFA greening rule.
  • Farmers with less than 10 hectares of arable land do not need to do anything differently – they automatically meet the crop diversification and EFA rules.
  • Farmers who apply to the Basic Payment Scheme with permanent grassland must follow the permanent grassland greening rule.