The Agriculture (Cross compliance) (No. 2) Regulations 2009 (revoked)

Management of land not in agricultural production U.K.

[F1 5.— (1) This paragraph applies in relation to agricultural land not in agricultural production during the single non-production period.

(2) The single non-production period is such period within any calendar year—

(a) during which the land is continuously not in agricultural production, and

(b) that includes the date of the deadline for submission of the single application for that year in accordance with Article 11 of Commission Regulation (EC) No 1122/2009.

(3) Agricultural land is not in agricultural production unless—-

(a) a crop has been planted on the land;

(b) preparatory work for a following crop such as ploughing or spraying has commenced on the land;

(c) the land is used for grazing (but this does not include grazing carried on for the purposes of sub-paragraph (4)); or

(d) the land is used for growing grass to be cut as feed.

(4) A claimant must cut scrub, and must cut or graze rank vegetation, on all agricultural land not in agricultural production at least every 5 years.

(5) In any 12-month period a claimant may not cut or graze scrub or rank vegetation on more than 50% of the agricultural land not in agricultural production except—

(a) to comply with paragraph 6 (control of weeds) or section 2 of the Weeds Act 1959;

(b) to manage the land to control an infestation of blackgrass (Alopecurus myosuroides), couch (Agropyron repens), creeping thistle (Cirsium arvense) or dock (Rumex species) for the first 15 months from the date of harvest;

(c) to establish grassy buffers alongside temporary or permanent watercourses to reduce or prevent surface run-off entering watercourses;

(d) to establish grassy areas to prevent erosion and run-off;

(e) to establish plots of up to approximately 2 hectares to accommodate ground nesting birds, especially stone curlews;

(f) to cut pollen and nectar mixtures sown to provide food resources for wildlife, in order to promote flowering.

(6) No person may cut or plough between 1st March and 31st July inclusive any vegetation on agricultural land not in agricultural production other than to carry out one of the operations listed in sub-paragraph (5)(a) to (f).

(7) No person may apply inorganic fertiliser, manure or slurry to agricultural land not in agricultural production, unless the land is known to be used as, and is managed as, a geese feeding area in winter.

(8) Nothing in sub-paragraphs (4) to (6) applies to the extent that it would contravene section 2(1) of the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979.

(9) Nothing in sub-paragraphs (4) to (7) applies to the extent that it would contravene section 28E(1), 28P(6A), 28P(8) or 31 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.]

Textual Amendments

F1 Sch. 1 para. 5 substituted (1.1.2011) by The Agriculture (Cross compliance) (No. 2) Regulations 2009 (Amendment) Regulations 2010 (S.I. 2010/2941), regs. 1(b), 3(3)