The Moorland (Livestock Extensification) Regulations 1995

Aid for moorland extensification

3.  Subject to the provisions of these Regulations, the Minister may make payments of aid to any eligible person who undertakes for the duration of the extensification period—

(a) to ensure that the stocking density of ewes and relevant livestock on eligible moorland on each participating production unit does not exceed the specified stocking density;

(b) to use for the purposes of grazing or forage—

(i) during the summer, on each participating production unit, an area of land at least equal in size to the largest area used by him for grazing or forage on that unit during the last summer which ended before the date of his application, and

(ii) during the winter, on each participating production unit an area of land at least equal in size to the largest area used by him for grazing or forage on that unit during the last winter which ended before the date of his application;

(c) to observe in relation to each participating production unit the management requirements in the Schedule;

(d) to manage eligible moorland on each participating production unit in accordance with a management plan or management plans agreed in advance with the Minister;

(e) to ensure that the numbers of relevant livestock kept on each participating production unit do not exceed the highest respective numbers of them kept there during the last summer and winter which ended before the date of his application;

(f) where sheep were away wintered from any participating production unit in the last winter which ended before the date of his application, to ensure that in any winter a number of sheep are away wintered not being less than the “minimum number” calculated as follows—

where—

• a is the number of sheep in the eligible person’s flock in the winter in respect of which the calculation is made,

• b is the number of sheep away wintered from the participating production unit in the last winter which ended before the date of the eligible person’s application, and

• c is the number of sheep in the eligible person’s flock in the last winter which ended before the date of the eligible person’s application;

(g) to ensure that the number of ewes kept on his holding does not exceed the reference flock, reduced by 10 or by a larger figure, specified in the undertaking, which will enable the eligible person to comply with the undertaking given by virtue of sub-paragraph (a) above and will result in significant environmental benefit for an area of at least 20 hectares of eligible moorland;

(h) to ensure that any reduction in the number of ewes kept on his holding in order to enable him to comply with the undertaking given by virtue of sub-paragraph (a) above in respect of summer is achieved by reducing the number of ewes in his flock.