Cross Compliance - Soil Protection Review (SPR)

15 February 2006

The Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) and the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) have recently published the all important booklets on Cross Compliance and Soil Protection. The Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) and the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) have recently published the all important booklets on Cross Compliance and Soil Protection. Like it or not, all applicants under the Single Payment Scheme (SPS) are going to have to pay regard to these regulations and complete a Soil Protection Review (SPR) in order to satisfy their Cross Compliance requirements. Accordingly, all farmers must produce a simple risk based SPR before the 1st September 2006.

Each SPR must propose measures to manage and protect soils following an assessment of the soil types in use. The content of the SPR must be seen to fall in to line with the main principles of the Good Agricultural and Environmental Condition (GAEC) standards for soil management and protection. Once prepared, implementation of the proposals as set out in the SPR must commence on 1st January 2007, continuing in subsequent years with an annual review which must be retained with records for future inspection.

The regulations recognise soil as a fundamental farming asset (no suprises there!) which must be protected to improve profitability and prevent damage to habitats and other negative impacts on the environment.

Most farmers will have a pretty good idea of soil types and should have no difficulty completing yet more forms but, an early assessment of the current position is highly advisable to avoid falling foul of these latest regulations. Copies of the guidance are available direct from RPA or DEFRA. It remains to be seen, of course, what use DEFRA and other agencies will make of the information returned to them but one can be certain that it will inevitably add a new layer to the ever increasing bureaucracy surrounding farming.

For more information please contact Aaron Spencer, Partner.
 

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