These Regulations amend the Common Agricultural Policy Single Payment and Support Schemes (Cross Compliance) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2014 (S.R. 2014 No. 291) (“the principal Regulations”). The principal Regulations supplemented and made provision for the administration and enforcement of Regulation (EU) No. 1306/2013 (O.J. No L347, 20.12.13, p. 549), Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) No 640/2014 and Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 809/2014 in relation to cross compliance under the revised system of direct support schemes under the common agricultural policy which came into force on 1st January 2015.
The Regulations amend the principal Regulations by-
permitting a farmer to put measures in place to limit soil erosion where soil or weather conditions prevent a crop being sown (regulation 5(a)(i));
removing the requirement that residues of crops harvested after 1st November are not disturbed until just before sowing the spring crop on the land (regulation 5(a)(ii));
extending the period during which a derogation may be obtained for a ploughing match, providing for the derogation to be obtained by the farmer rather than by the organiser of the ploughing match and permitting ploughing as part of practice for a ploughing match (regulation 5(a)(iii)); and
permitting the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development to authorise hedge, tree or scrub cutting, trimming or laying between 15th August and 31st August (regulation 5(b)).
The Regulations also make minor drafting changes and corrections (regulations 3, 4 and 5(c)).