1. CAP Reform Greening Information Event
John Lynn
Paul Clenaghan
Countryside Management Delivery Branch

2. Arable farmers confront challenges cultivating

3. Arable farmers face challenges Harvesting

4. Now for the Challenge of complying with: CAP Reform regulations.

5. Introduction
Greening requirements are a compulsory element of the CAP Reform and introduce practices that are beneficial to the environment and climate.
From 2015, it will be mandatory for applicants to the Basic Payment Scheme to comply with greening requirements.

6. Basic Payment Scheme and Greening
From 2015, the Single Farm Payment Scheme will be replaced by the Basic Payment Scheme, a Greening Payment and a Young Farmers’ Scheme.
Thirty per cent of the money allocated to Northern Ireland for direct payments will be allocated to the greening payment.
Farmers who comply with greening requirements will receive a greening payment calculated as a percentage of the total value of entitlements activated by them each year.

7. Greening There are three elements to greening: Permanent Grassland
Crop Diversification
Ecological Focus Areas (EFAs)
Non-compliance with greening requirements will result in reductions to the Greening Payment. It is therefore important that farmers understand and comply with the greening requirements.

8. Definition of Permanent Grassland
Land used to grow grasses or other herbaceous forage (this can be self-seeded or sown)
Land that has not been used for an arable crop in the previous five years or more. In effect, this relates to six years (2015 and the previous 5 years (2010 – 2014).
E.g. land declared as FR1 (grass) in 2015 which was also declared as FR1 in the previous five consecutive years (2010 – 2014) will be classified as permanent grassland.
Permanent grassland ploughed and re-seeded immediately with grass or other herbaceous forage continues to be classified as permanent grassland.

9. Environmentally Sensitive Permanent Grassland
There is also a requirement to designate permanent grassland in areas covered by:
Natura 2000
The Birds Directive
The Habitats Directive.
Farmers will not be allowed to plough or convert permanent grassland in these areas.
DARD will identify permanent grassland in these areas and will make this information available to the relevant farmers in advance of 2015.

10. Crop Diversification – Arable land
Crop diversification requirements are applicable to arable land, they are not applicable to permanent grassland or permanent crops.
Definition of arable land –use of land to grow crops other than grass, orchards, short rotational coppice, ornamentals and nurseries, forestry and multi-annual crops.
Forage crops such as fodder beet, fodder rape, stubble turnips or any cereal crop used for forage (e.g. maize) are regarded as an arable crop use.
Sainfoin, clover, lucerne and forage vetches are regarded in the same way as grass and therefore are not deemed to be an arable use. .

11. Definition of arable land continued
If your land will be used to grow an arable crop in 2015 or has grown an arable crop in any of the years 2010 – 2014, then it will be classified as arable in 2015.
Land used to grow grass in 2015 but which has been used to grow an arable crop in any of the years will be classified as arable in 2015.
Areas available for crop production but lying fallow, including areas set aside under EU schemes, will also be classed as arable land.
There are some outstanding issues in relation to the classification of land lying fallow, further clarification will be provided later this year. .

12. Classification of fields
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
Classified
7/82/12
Field 1
barley
oats
grass
Arable
(temporary grass)
Field 2
7/6/6
Field 10
wheat
maize
Field 16
Permanent grass

13. Definition of Permanent Crops
Permanent crops are non-rotational crops other then permanent grassland that occupy the land for five years or more and yield repeated harvests.
Examples of permanent crops are orchards, short rotational coppice, ornamentals and nurseries and multi-annual crops. Further examples of permanent crops are available on the DARD website.
Later this year, DARD will classify fields as permanent grassland, arable or permanent crops and will make this information available to farmers.

14. Crop Diversification Exemptions
Farmers will be exempt from crop diversification in the following circumstances:-
Where they have less than 10 hectares of arable land;
Where more than 75% of the arable land is used for the production of grasses (temporary grass) or other herbaceous forage, is land lying fallow, or a combination of these uses, provided their remaining arable area not covered by these uses does not exceed 30 hectares;
3. Where more than 75% of the eligible agricultural area is
permanent grassland, is used for the production of grasses or other
herbaceous forage, or a combination of these uses, provided their
arable area not covered by these uses does not exceed 30 hectares;

15. Crop Diversification Exemptions (continued)
4. Where more than 50% of the areas under arable land were not declared by the farmer in his/her aid application of the previous year and where all arable land is being cultivated with a different crop compared to that of the previous calendar year. (The operation of this exemption in Northern Ireland is subject to further consideration by DARD; a decision on this will be made and publicised in due course). 5. Land certified as being organically farmed automatically qualifies for the greening payment but double funding (receiving the greening payment for doing the same thing) is not permitted. This exemption only applies to those fields which are organically farmed.

16. Crop Diversification - Requirements
Crop Diversification – Summary of Requirements
Area of Arable Land
Number of Crops that must be grown
Further requirements
Less than 10 hectares
No crop diversification requirement
Not applicable
Between 10 and 30 hectares
Farmer must grow at least two different crops on his arable land
The main crop shall not cover more than 75% of the farmer’s arable land
More than 30 hectares
Farmer must grow at least three different crops on his arable land
The main crop shall not cover more than 75% of the farmer’s arable land and the two main crops together shall not cover more than 95% of his arable land
If close to the thresholds exercise caution!

17. Importance of checking requirements
It is important that farmers actively check whether they have a crop diversification requirement e.g. dairy farmers who grow arable crops.
Farmers taking land in conacre may not be aware of the history of the fields that they are renting.
Farmers can check the history of the land use of these fields by checking what was declared in the ‘Eligible Use’ column in the Single Application Form Field Data Sheet (SAF 2) during the period

18. Crop Diversification – Definition of a crop
For the purposes of crop diversification, a crop is defined in the EU
Regulations as any of the following:-
a culture of any of the different genera defined in the botanical classification of crops;
a culture of any of the species in the case of Brassicaceae (e.g.cabbage), Solanaceae (e.g.potato) and Cucurbitaceae (e.g. cucumber);
land lying fallow;
grass or other herbaceous forage (clovers, lucerne, sainfoin and forage vetches) on arable land (temporary grass).

19. Crop Diversification - Definition of a crop
Winter and spring varieties of crops count as separate crops.
Most crops grown in Northern Ireland will meet the definition of a crop outlined in the EU Regulations. The exceptions to this are
permanent grassland and permanent crops.
Examples of suitable crops are available on the DARD website.
The end use of the crop has no impact on how it is counted for the purposes of crop diversification. For example, if a farmer grows some winter wheat as whole crop and some for grain, this counts as one crop (winter wheat).

20. Definition of a crop - continued
Individual crops which fall within a single genus or single species in the case of Brassicaceae, Solanaceae and Cucurbitaceae count as only one crop for the purposes of crop diversification.
E.g. cabbage and cauliflower, these would count as only one crop because they fall within the same species (Brassica oleracea).
The crop must be present (or its stubble/residue present in a form which enables the original crop to be identified) during the entire period of 1 June to 31 July each year.
A seed mixture(s) will be recognised as one crop.
Different seed mixtures will not be recognised as separate crops.

21. Ecological Focus Areas
Paul Clenaghan

22. You will be familiar with the decline in bees and wild flowers
The Great Yellow Bumblebee
Irish Lady’s Tresses Orchid

23. Ecological Focus Areas (EFAs)
Farmers with more than 15 hectares of arable land must ensure that,
from 1st January 2015, at least 5% of their arable land is used as an
EFA. This may increase to 7% in 2017.
Farmers will be exempt from the requirement to have EFAs in the
following circumstances:
Where they have less than or equal to 15 hectares of arable land.
Where more than 75% of the arable land is used for the production
of grasses (temporary grass) or other herbaceous forage, is land lying fallow, is used for cultivation of leguminous crops (peas, beans, sweet lupins) or is subject to a combination of those uses, provided that the arable area not covered by those uses does not exceed 30ha;

24. Ecological Focus Areas - Exemptions
3. More than 75% of the eligible agricultural area is permanent grassland, is used for the production of grasses or other herbaceous forage, or is subject to a combination of those uses, provided that the arable area not covered by these uses does not exceed 30 hectares. Land certified as being organically farmed automatically qualifies for the greening payment but double funding (receiving the greening payment for doing the same thing) is not permitted. This exemption only applies to those fields which are organically farmed.

25. Features and areas which can be used to meet EFA requirements
The following features and areas which can be used as EFAs:
Land lying fallow (clarification is being sought in relation to the
definition of land lying fallow)
Landscape features required to be retained under cross compliance
(hedges, ditches, stone walls, archaeological features and
earth banks (does not include river banks)
Areas of agro-forestry (supported under past or current RDP)
Areas with short rotation coppice with no use of mineral fertiliser
and no use of plant protection products beyond the second growing
season post planting – max harvest 5 years
Afforested areas which were used and eligible to claim SFP in 2008 
Areas with nitrogen fixing crops (peas, beans and sweet lupins)

26. Location of EFAs EFA Feature Location Land lying fallow Agro-forestry
Nitrogen fixing crops
Must be located on the arable land of the holding
Hedges, ditches, stone walls
Earth banks
Archaeological features
Must be located on or adjacent to the arable land of the holding
(Adjacent is thought to mean physically touching a field of agricultural land on the longest edge of the relevant EFA)
Eligible afforested areas
Short rotation coppice
No requirement to be on or adjacent to the arable land of the holding

27. Ecological Focus Area Conversion Matrix
EFA type
(unit of measurement)
Conversion factor
(m to m2)
Weighting factor
Area (m2) of EFA (i.e. after application of both factors )
Land lying fallow (per 1m2)
N/A 1
1m2
Hedges (per 1m) 5 2
10m2
Ditches (per 1m) 3
6m2
Traditional stone walls (per 1m)
Archaeological features (per 1m2)
Earth banks (per 1m2)
Hectares of agro-forestry (per 1m2)
Areas with short rotation coppice (per 1m2)
0.3
0.3m2
Afforested areas (per 1m2)
Areas with nitrogen fixing crops (per 1m2)
0.7*
0.7m2
* To be confirmed by EC in legislation
Exercise caution when calculating EFAs

28. Ecological Focus Area Conversion Matrix
The conversion matrix converts the lengths/areas according to their
ecological values. For example, every linear metre of eligible hedge
can provide 10 m2 of EFA.
When calculating whether you meet the 5% EFA requirement, you
should exercise caution if you are very close to the 5%.
Clarification being sought
What constitutes a hedge
Definition of land lying fallow

29. Ecological Focus Areas
Ecological focus areas must be at the disposal of the famer. If the
EFA is in the field declared by the farmer, the entire EFA is at the
farmer’s disposal. However, if the EFA is on the boundary of the
field, the position is less clear.
Clarification is required on:
How boundary features are to be treated. E.g. A hedge between two
arable fields at the disposal of two different farmers.
If it was agreed that boundary features could be 50:50, farmers
would only be able to use 50% of the converted area of the hedge.
However, if located between two arable fields declared by the same
farmer, 100% of the converted area could be used.

30. Greening Payment
The greening payment will be calculated as a percentage of the total value of entitlements activated by claimants each year. Therefore, over time, the value of the greening payment per hectare will move towards a flat rate payment at the same pace as the movement of the Basic Payment.
For the first two scheme years (2015 and 2016), sanctions for non-compliance with greening requirements will result in a reduction in the greening payment which may be substantial.  From 2017, additional penalties will be applied.
It is important that you check whether you have a greening requirement and that you comply fully with the requirements. 

31. Greening on online Single Application
CROP DIVERSIFICATION
The online application will calculate, based on the fields you have declared, if you have a Crop Diversification requirement and advise whether you have met it.
It will display the area and percentage for the main crops you have grown, which will show you how close you are in relation to meeting the Crop Diversification requirements.

32. Greening on online Single Application
ECOLOGICAL FOCUS AREAS (EFAs)
The online application will calculate, based on the fields you have declared, if you have an EFA requirement and state the area of EFAs required to satisfy that requirement.
DARD are currently considering the online options to permit you to then declare which EFAs you have for that scheme year and the intention is that the system will advise you when you have declared sufficient EFAs to meet your requirement.

33. Impact of Greening on Agri-Environment Agreements
Agreements signed before 2012
No Greening impact. DARD is considering whether agreements need adjusted to take account of new Cross-Compliance requirements.
NICMS agreements signed from 1 January 2012 onward
Agreements contain a revision clause. Greening must be taken into account, and NICMS payments may be reduced to avoid double-funding. Agreements must be adjusted to meet new Cross-Compliance requirements.

34. Impact of Greening on Agri-Environment Agreements
New Environmental Farming Scheme (EFS) Agreements
Greening must be taken into account, and EFS payments may be reduced to avoid double-funding.
Agreements must meet new Cross-Compliance requirements.

35. Life for the arable farmer changes

37. Summary Arable area < 10 ha No change
Arable area 10 – 15 ha Crop Diversification (2 different crop types)
Arable area >15 -30ha Ecological Focus area (5% arable area)
Crop Diversification (2 different crop types)
Arable area > 30 ha Ecological Focus area (5% arable area)
Crop Diversification ( 3 different crop types)
2 crop types: Main crop - max 75% arable area
3 crop types: Main crop - max 75% arable area, Main two crops -
max 95% arable area
(Exemptions granted under specific conditions - Caution)

38. Further information
Further information on CAP reform is available on the DARD website on If you have a specific query you can call the DARD Grants and Funding Helpline number : Or send an to the DARD Helpline address: