5. In Schedule 1 (STANDARDS OF GOOD AGRICULTURAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITION)-
(a)in paragraph 4—
(i)for sub-paragraph (1) there shall be substituted the following sub-paragraph—
“4.—(1) A farmer shall ensure that after harvesting a crop that from harvest until 15th January in the following year one of the following conditions is met on that land at any time—
(a)the stubble of the harvested crop remains in the land; or
(b)the land is sown with a crop which will take up nitrogen from the soil or, where soil or weather conditions prevent a subsequent crop from being sown, measures are put in place to prevent soil erosion.”;
(ii)sub-paragraph (4) is revoked;
(iii)for sub-paragraph (5) there shall be substituted the following sub-paragraph—
“(5) Sub-paragraph (1) does not apply in relation to any land between harvest and 15th January where—
(i)the land is used for a ploughing match and the farmer has received a Derogation from the Department; or
(ii)the land is ploughed as part of practice for a ploughing match.”;
(b)after paragraph 9(8) there shall be substituted the following sub-paragraph—
“(8A) Sub-paragraph (8) shall not apply between 15th August and 31st August where the farmer has received a derogation from the Department.”;
(c)in paragraph 11 for the definition of “invasive species” there shall be substituted the following definition-
““invasive species” means rhododendron (Rhododendron ponticum), Giant Hogweed (Heracleum mantegazzianum), Japanese Knotweed (Fallopia japonica) Himalayan Balsam (Impatiens glandulifera), wild oat (Avena fatua L, and Avena ludoviciana Durieu), dock (Rumex obtusifolius L and Rumex crispus L.), thistle (Cirsium vulgare (Savi) Ten. and Circium arvense (L.) Scop.) and ragwort (Senecio jacobaea L.);”.