It has been widely reported that set aside would not be required for the 2009 Single Payment Scheme year. It has now been confirmed that no new rules are to be implemented for the 2009 cropping year. Any additional cross compliance requirement or entry level options will only be introduced for 2010. It would appear that the DEFRA working group which is giving the government advice on the consequences of dropping set aside is now advising that a certain proportion of cultivated land should be in "environmental management". This does not necessarily mean it must be fallow but might mean it is dealt with by means of permanent grass buffers, over wintered stubble, reduced input cereal and rape crops or game strips. As yet there is no indication as to what percentage of land will need to be treated in this way and farmers should keep a close eye on the DEFRA website and other sources to see what is planned.
Andrew Bays of BCM comments: "Whilst we do have a degree of certainty that there are no changes to the 2009 Single Payment Scheme year, we do hope that DEFRA come up with the revised proposals as soon as possible in order to plan for 2010. Depending upon the percentage of land which is going to need to be treated as in "environmental management" it would seem that most of this could be quite easily dealt with on most farms and estates in southern England. However, one will need to look very closely at the detail when it is published."
