Livestock producers must not assume they are exempt from greening crop diversification and EFA requirements – what qualifies as an “arable” area under the new regime is often misunderstood, warns Alice De Soer, adviser with the Central Association of Agricultural Valuers.
Some do not realise the area of fodder crops, such as lucerne, which they rotate around their holdings, is counted as temporary grass and consequently as part of their arable area, she said.
Fodder crops such as forage maize, kale and fodder roots also count as arable for crop diversification purposes. Many claimants will automatically meet the requirements (see “Greening tips”) because of their acreage and/or crop mix, or will qualify for exemptions, but everyone must do that initial calculation of arable area, said Ms De Soer.
