Cross Compliance is a set of rules designed to protect the rural environment and animal health. Farmers and land managers must follow the Cross Compliance rules on their holding if they are claiming rural payments for:
• The Basic Payment Scheme
• Countryside Stewardship
• Higher Level Stewardship (including Organic Higher Level Stewardship and Uplands Higher Level Stewardship) agreements starting on or after 1 January 2007
• Woodland Management Grant and Farm Woodland Premium elements of English Woodland Grant Scheme agreements starting on or after 1 January 2007.
Cross compliance is made up of ‘Statutory Management Requirements’ (SMRs) and standards for ‘Good Agricultural and Environmental Conditions’ (GAECs).
They cover the following areas:
• Public, animal and plant health
• Environment, climate change and good agricultural condition of land
• Animal welfare.
You must meet all of the Cross Compliance rules throughout the whole calendar year to receive all of your rural payments. Failure to adhere to these regulations can lead to penalties and reductions in payments.
The cross compliance rules that you must meet have not changed for 2021. The ‘guide to cross compliance in England 2021’ can be found on the Rural Payments Agency website.
Laurence Gould can review your compliance if required. For more information please contact your local office; Burgees Hill, Dunfermline, Newmarket, Oxford or Yeovil
