Agriculture Act 1947

95 Special directions to secure production. E+W

(1) Where it appears to the Minister necessary so to do in the interest of the national supply of food or other agricultural products, he may by order direct that all or any of the powers conferred on him by the next following subsection shall be exercisable by him for a period of one year from the coming into operation of the order . . . F1

(2) During the period for which the said powers are exercisable the Minister may by notice in writing served on the person occupying or entitled to occupy any agricultural land give such directions—

(a) as to the use of the land for any of the purposes of agriculture and the manner in which and the produce for which it is to be so used,

(b) as to the carrying out of any work required to enable the land to be used as directed under paragraph (a) of this subsection.

(c) as to any other matters as to which directions may be given to an occupier of an agricultural unit where a supervision order under Part II of this Act is in force for the supervision of his farming of the unit,

(d) without prejudice to the general powers conferred by the foregoing paragraphs, as to the maximum area of land which may be maintained on an agricultural unit under pasture laid down with clover, grass, lucerne, sainfoin or other seeds or under herbage crops grown for commercial seed production,

as appear to the Minister expedient in the interest aforesaid and reasonable having regard to the character and situation of the land and other relevant circumstances.

(3) If any person to whom a direction is given under this section contravenes or fails to comply with the direction he shall be liable on summary conviction to imprisonment for a term not exceeding three months or to a fine not exceeding one hundred pounds or to both such imprisonment and such fine.

(4) Subsections (5) to (8) of section fourteen of this Act shall apply in relation to directions under this section as they apply in relation to directions under the said section fourteen.

(5) The provisions of the Second Schedule to this Act shall have effect where a direction is given under this section requiring the ploughing-up of permanent pasture or the performing of other acts of cultivation.

(6) Nothing done or omitted by an occupier in pursuance of a direction under this section shall be treated as a failure to fulfil his responsibilities to farm land in accordance with the rules of good husbandry so long as the act or omission was reasonably necessary in consequence of the giving of the direction.

(7) Without prejudice to the general provisions of this Part of this Act as to the service of notices, any notice to be served under this section on an occupier of land used for agriculture shall, where an agent or servant of the occupier is responsible for the control of the farming of the land, be duly served if served on that agent or servant.

(8) Any period for which the powers conferred on the Minister by subsection (2) of this section are exercisable shall be extended by a further year if the Minister by order made not earlier than one month before the date on which the said period would otherwise expire directs that the said period shall be so extended.

(9) The expiration of the said period shall not affect the operation of any direction under this section previously given.

(10) An order made under this section shall be of no effect unless approved by resolution of each House of Parliament:

Provided that if at the time when such an order is made Parliament is dissolved or prorogued or both Houses are adjourned for more than four days, the foregoing provisions of this subsection shall not apply but the order shall be laid before Parliament as soon as may be and shall cease to have effect unless approved by resolution of each House of Parliament before the expiration of the twenty-eighth day on which that House has sat after the order is laid before it.

Textual Amendments

F1 Words repealed by Agriculture Act 1958 (c. 71), Sch. 3