The Common Agricultural Policy Single Payment and Support Schemes (Cross-compliance) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2008

Title and commencement

1.  These Regulations may be cited as the Common Agricultural Policy Single Payment and Support Schemes (Cross-compliance) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2008 and come into force on 8th February 2008.

Amendment

2.—(1) Paragraph 7 of the Schedule to the Common Agricultural Policy Single Payment and Support Schemes (Cross-compliance) (England) Regulations 2005(1) is amended as follows.

(2) In sub-paragraph (1), for “eligible hectare”, substitute “agricultural land”.

(3) For sub-paragraph (1)(b), substitute—

“(b) must—

(i) establish a green cover through seeding or natural regeneration as soon as practicable on or after 1st March following the date the land ceased to be in agricultural production, unless he can prove that he intends to bring the land back into agricultural production before the following 15th May; and

(ii) maintain that green cover until the land is brought back into agricultural production;.”

(4) After sub-paragraph (2)(c), insert—

“(cc) Sub-paragraph (1)(b) does not apply to any area of the land on which soil dredged from a watercourse or field ditch on the land has been spread unless that area is subject to the requirements of paragraph 10(1);”.

(5) For sub-paragraph (3), substitute—

“(3) For the purposes of this regulation, land ceases to be used for agricultural production from the day after the day—

(a) harvest on the land was completed;

(b) the land otherwise ceased to be used for agricultural production; or

(c) the land ceased to be set aside pursuant to Article 54 of the Council Regulation.”.

Jeff Rooker

Minister of State

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

15th January 2008