Guide to key cross-compliance dates for UK regions 2021

Agriculture and environment departments across the devolved administrations have released key dates to help farmers avoid costly cross-compliance rule breaches in 2021.

The rules apply to all Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) claimants and are made up of statutory management requirements (SMRs) and standards for Good Agricultural and Environmental Conditions (GAECs).

Infringements, including those made accidentally, result in penalties applied to farm support payments.

These penalties are imposed by the Rural Payments Agency and range from a 1% reduction in BPS for every area breached, to 100% of the BPS in cases of severe, persistent and intentional failures.

To reduce the chance of making a mistake, it is vital to know the dates and timings for key tasks that can lead to cross-compliance breaks.

This is a guide to the key dates and any regional variations. It should be cross-referenced with the relevant published data using the online links in the More information box.

See also: BPS cross-compliance rule changes for 2021 across UK

January

All regions

1 Jan Rules in the 2021 Cross Compliance Guide must be followed from this date.

England

1 Jan Organic manures with a high readily available nitrogen content, such as slurry, poultry manure and liquid digested sewage sludge, can be applied to grassland and tillage land on shallow or sandy soils under suitable conditions. Note: Quantity restrictions must be met (SMR 1).

1 Jan Start date for assessing the annual amount of livestock manure applied (SMR 1).

16 Jan Manufactured nitrogen fertilisers can be applied to grassland and tillage land in suitable conditions (SMR 1).

Scotland

31 Jan End of the closed period for the application of “organic manure with a high available N content” on all land for all soil types (other than sandy or shallow) (SMR 1).

Wales

1 Jan Stocktake record all sheep and goats kept on 1 January (SMR 8).

15 Jan Manufactured nitrogen fertilisers can be applied to grassland and tillage land on all soils after this date if conditions are suitable (SMR 1).

31 Jan Manure with a high readily available nitrogen content (for example, slurry and poultry manures) can be applied to grassland and tillage land on all soils after this date if conditions are suitable and quantity restrictions for application of these manures are adhered to.

Northern Ireland

15 Jan Ploughing can be carried out without restriction from this date (GAEC 4).

31 Jan Final date for on-line submission of records relating to the movement of organic manure in previous calendar year (SMR 1).

February

England

1 Feb Organic manures such as slurry, poultry manure and liquid digested sewage sludge can be applied to grassland and tillage land on all soil types under suitable conditions. Note: Quantity restrictions must be met (SMR 1).

28 Feb End of quantity restrictions for organic manure – slurry, poultry manure and liquid digested sewage sludge (SMR 1).

Scotland

15 Feb End of the closed period for the application of chemical/manufactured fertiliser on all land in the Lower Nithsdale, Lothian and Borders, Strathmore and Fife (including Finavon) and Stranraer Lowlands NVZ areas (SMR 1).

20 Feb End of the closed period for the application of chemical/manufactured fertiliser on all land in the Moray, Aberdeenshire, Banff and Buchan NVZ area (SMR 1).

Northern Ireland

1 Feb Chemical fertiliser may be applied providing environmental conditions are suitable (SMR 1).

1 Feb Organic manures, including slurry, poultry litter, sewage sludge, farmyard manure and abattoir waste may be applied providing environmental conditions are suitable with wider waterway/lake buffers to the end of February (SMR 1).

March

All regions

1 Mar Cutting or trimming hedges or trees is prohibited.

1 Mar Hedge and tree coppicing and hedge laying can continue from this date until 30 April (GAEC 7a and 7c).

31 Mar Water abstraction licence holders should expect annual bills or first-part charge if two-part tariff agreements are held (GAEC 2).

Scotland

1 Mar Start of the ban on removing/burning scrub and gorse (SMR 2).

1 Mar Deadline for preparing and implementing a fertiliser and manure management plan (SMR 1).

1 Mar Hedge laying can continue from this date until 31 March (SMR 2, GAEC 7).

Wales

1 Mar End of five-month storage period for all the slurry of livestock, other than pigs and poultry (SMR 1).

1 Mar Maintain minimum soil cover following harvest until this date (GAEC 4).

15 Mar Ban begins on burning heather, rough grass, bracken, gorse or vaccinium other than in upland areas (GAEC 6).

31 Mar Upland area ban on burning heather, rough grass, bracken, gorse or vaccinium begins (GAEC 6).

31 Mar Ban on carrying out any hedge-laying or coppicing starts unless with permission from the Welsh government for education or training purposes (GAEC 7).

Northern Ireland

1 Mar Final date for online submission of nitrates derogation application (SMR 1).

1 Mar Final date for online submission of fertilisation account for the previous calendar year (if the farm has an approved nitrates derogation) (SMR 1).

1 Mar Fertilisation plan for the current calendar year to be ready and available for inspection (SMR 1).

April

England

1 Apr Ban begins on burning heather, rough grass, bracken, gorse or vaccinium other than in upland areas (GAEC 6).

1 Apr 28-day window opens for winter or year-round water abstraction licence holders (authorising abstraction outside the period April to October) to submit readings to Environment Agency (GAEC 2).

16 Apr Upland area ban begins on burning heather, rough grass, bracken, gorse or vaccinium (GAEC 6).

30 Apr “Specified” livestock numbers kept on individual farms during the previous calendar year must be recorded along with the calculated amount of nitrogen they produced. The number and type of livestock in a building or hardstanding during the previous storage period must also be recorded (SMR 1).

Scotland

1 Apr Start of the ban on hedge laying (SMR 2, GAEC 7).

15 Apr End of the standard muirburn season (SMR 2).

Wales

1 Apr End of six-month storage period for pig and poultry slurry.

30 Apr Livestock numbers kept on individual farms during the previous calendar year must be recorded along with the calculated amount of nitrogen they produced. The number and type of livestock in a building or hardstanding during the previous storage period must also be recorded (SMR 1).

Northern Ireland

15 Apr Ban on burning heather, gorse, whin or fern applies starts (GAEC 5).

May

England

1 May Ban begins on hedge or tree coppicing and hedge laying (GAEC7a and 7c).

June

Northern Ireland

15 Jun For derogated farms only: at least 50% of slurry produced on the holding must be applied by 15 June and slurry must be applied using Low Emission Slurry Spreading Equipment (LESSE).

30 Jun All nitrates record for previous calendar year must be available for inspection (SMR 1).

August

England

1 Aug Rural Payments Agency derogations begin for cutting or trimming hedges throughout August, to sow oilseed rape or temporary grassland (GAEC 7a).

1 Aug Closed period begins on applications of organic manure such as slurry, poultry manure and liquid digested sewage sludge to tillage land on shallow or sandy soils, except where crops will be sown on or before 15 September (SMR 1).

Scotland

1 Aug Start of the closed period for the application of “organic manure with a high available N content” on all land (other than grassland) where the soil type is sandy or shallow (SMR 1).

1 Aug Cutting or trimming hedges/trees is allowed to sow oilseed rape or grass or another crop (subject to written consent from RPD) (SMR 2, GAEC 7).

Wales

1 Aug Start of closed period for applying organic manure with a high readily available nitrogen content to tillage land on shallow or sandy soils (application is allowed between 1 August and 15 September as long as a crop is sown on or before 15 September).

1 Aug Hedges or trees may be trimmed on arable land where the normal agricultural practice requires a winter arable crops to be planted before 31 August, as long as nesting birds are not disturbed (GAEC 7).

31 Aug Hedges and trees can be trimmed after this date (GAEC 7).

Northern Ireland

31 Aug Heather, gorse, whin or fern burning can begin from this date (GAEC 5).

September

England

1 Sep Ban ends on hedgecutting or trimming (GAEC 7a and 7c).

1 Sep Start of closed period for applications of organic manure such as slurry, poultry manure and liquid digested sewage sludge to grassland on shallow or sandy soils (SMR 1).

1 Sep Start of closed period for applying manufactured nitrogen fertilisers to tillage land (SMR 1).

15 Sep Start of closed period for applying manufactured nitrogen fertilisers to grassland (SMR 1).

16 Sep Start of closed period for applying organic manure such as slurry, poultry manure and liquid digested sewage sludge to tillage land on shallow or sandy soils that has been sown with crops on or before 15 September (SMR 1).

Scotland

1 Sep Start of the closed period for the application of “chemical/manufactured fertiliser” on all land (other than grassland) (SMR 1).

1 Sep Start of the closed period for the application of organic manure with a high available N content on grassland where the soil type is sandy or shallow (SMR 1).

1 Sep End of the ban on cutting or trimming hedges/trees (SMR 2, GAEC 7).

1 Sep End of the ban on removing/burning scrub and gorse (SMR 2).

15 Sep Start of the closed period for the application of chemical/manufactured fertiliser on grassland (SMR 1).

Wales

1 Sep Start of closed period for application of organic manure with a highly readily nitrogen content to grassland on shallow or sandy soils (SMR1).

1 Sep Start of closed period for applying manufactured nitrogen fertilisers to tillage land (SMR 1).

15 Sep Start of closed period for applying manufactured nitrogen fertilisers to grassland (SMR 1).

Northern Ireland

1 Sep After harvesting any crops: appropriate measures must be put in place to limit soil erosion until 15 January 2022 (SMR1).

1 Sep End of closed period for hedge, tree and scrub cutting (GAEC 7).

15 Sep (midnight) Closed period for chemical fertiliser application starts (SMR 1).

30 Sep Buffer zones for slurry are increased to 15m from a waterway and 30m from a lake ( SMR 1 and GAEC 1).

October

England

1 Oct Ban ends on burning heather, rough grass, bracken, gorse or vaccinium on land in upland areas (GAEC 6).

1 Oct Start of closed period for applying organic manure such as slurry, poultry manure and liquid digested sewage sludge to tillage land on heavier soils – not sandy or shallow (SMR 1).

15 Oct Start of closed period for applying organic manure such as slurry, poultry manure and liquid digested sewage sludge to grassland on deeper and heavier soils (SMR 1).

31 Oct 28-day window open for readings to be sent to the Environment Agency by holders of summer water abstraction licences (authorising abstraction wholly within the months of April to October) (GAEC 2).

Scotland

1 Oct Start of the closed period for the application of organic manure with a high available N content on all land (other than grassland) for all soil types (other than sandy or shallow) (SMR 1).

1 Oct Start of the standard muirburn season (SMR 2).

15 Oct Start of the closed period for the application of organic manure with a high available N content on grassland for all soil types (other than sandy or shallow) (SMR 1).

Wales

1 Oct Start of closed period for applying organic manure with a highly readily available nitrogen content to tillage land on heavier soils (SMR 1).

1 Oct Start of six-month storage period for all slurry types.

1 Oct Burning heather, rough grass, vaccinium or gorse is permitted on upland areas from this date (GAEC 6).

15 Oct Start of closed period for applying organic manure with a highly readily available nitrogen content to grassland on heavier soils.

Northern Ireland

15 Oct (midnight) Closed period for application of organic manures, including slurry, poultry litter, sewage, sludge and abattoir waste begins (SMR 1).

31 Oct (midnight) Closed period for application of farmyard manure begins (SMR1).

November

England

1 Nov Ban lifted on burning heather, rough grass, bracken, gorse or vaccinium in all areas (GAEC 6).

30 Nov Two-part tariff agreement holders for water abstraction licences should expect to receive the second-part charge (GAEC 2).

Wales

1 Nov Restrictions end on burning heather, rough grass, bracken gorse or vaccinium on all land types (GAEC 6).

December

All regions

1 Dec Annual inventory of sheep and goats must be completed (SMR 8).

Scotland

31 Dec Deadline for submitting abstraction data returns to SEPA (GAEC 2).

31 Dec End of the closed period for the application of organic manure with a high available N content on all land where the soil types are sandy or shallow (SMR 1).

Wales

31 Dec Organic manure with a highly-readily available nitrogen content can be applied to grassland and tillage ground with sandy and shallow soils (SMR 1).