January
| 1 | You must start implementing your Soil Protection Review (SPR) if you completed one for the first time in the previous year, or start to implement any changes that you identified previously. (GAEC 1) |
| 1 | Introduction of a new GAEC, No spread zones. (GAEC 19) |
| 1 | You can apply organic manure with a high readily available nitrogen content (for example, slurry, poultry manures or liquid digested sewage sludge) to grassland and tillage land on shallow or sandy soils from this date if conditions are suitable and you adhere to the quantity restrictions for application of these manures. (SMR 4) |
| 1 | Beginning of the year for assessing the annual amount of livestock manure applied to your land. (SMR 4) |
| 16 | You can apply manufactured nitrogen fertilisers to grassland and tillage land from this date if conditions are suitable. (SMR 4) |
| 16 | You can apply organic manure with a high readily available nitrogen content (for example, slurry, poultry manures or liquid digested sewage sludge) to grassland and tillage land on all soil types from this date if conditions are suitable and you adhere to the quantity restrictions for application of these manures. (SMR 4) |
| February | 28/29 | End of rules on post-harvest management of land. (GAEC 1) |
| 28/29 | End of the quantity restrictions for application of organic manures with a high readily available nitrogen content. (SMR 4) |
| March | 1 | You must not cut or plough vegetation on agricultural land which is not in agricultural production from this date (except in a limited number of circumstances). (GAEC 12) |
| 1 | You must not cut hedgerows from this date, but you can carry out hedge.laying and coppicing. (GAEC 15) |
| 31 | If you hold a water abstraction licence, expect to receive your annual bill (or first part charge if you hold a two part tariff agreement) for the forthcoming financial year from 31 March. (GAEC 18) |
| April | 1 | You must not burn heather or grass on land, other than that in upland areas, from this date. (GAEC 10) |
| 1 | If you hold a winter or all year round water abstraction licence (authorising abstraction outside the period April to October), the Environment Agency will make actual abstraction return forms available to you from 1 April. You then have 28 days to send your readings to the Environment Agency. (GAEC 18) |
| 16 | You must not burn heather or grass in upland areas from this date. (GAEC 10) |
| 30 | You must have recorded the number of ‘specified’ livestock kept on your farm during the previous calendar year and calculated the amount of nitrogen they produced. You must also record the number and type of livestock in a building or hardstanding during the previous storage period. (SMR 4) |
| May | 1 | You must not carry out hedge-laying or coppicing of hedgerows from this date. (GAEC 15) |
| August | 1 | You can cut or plough vegetation on agricultural land which is not in agricultural production from this date. (GAEC 12) |
| 1 | You can cut hedgerows from this date. (GAEC 15) |
| 1 | Start of closed period for applying organic manure with a high readily available nitrogen content (for example, slurry, poultry manures or liquid digested sewage sludge) to tillage land on shallow or sandy soils except where crops will be sown on or before 15 September. (SMR 4) |
| September | 1 | Start of closed period for applying organic manure with a high readily available nitrogen content (for example, slurry, poultry manures or liquid digested sewage sludge) to grassland on shallow or sandy soils. (SMR 4) |
| 1 | Start of closed period for applying manufactured nitrogen fertilisers to tillage land. (SMR 4) |
| 15 | Start of closed period for applying manufactured nitrogen fertilisers to grassland. (SMR 4) |
| 16 | Start of closed period for applying organic manure with a high readily available nitrogen content (for example, slurry, poultry manures or liquid digested sewage sludge) to tillage land on shallow or sandy soils which have been sown with crops on or before 15 September. (SMR 4) |
| October | 1 | You can burn heather, rough grass, gorse or vaccinium on land in upland areas from this date. (GAEC 10) |
| 1 | Start of closed period for applying organic manure with a high readily available nitrogen content (for example, slurry, poultry manures or liquid digested sewage sludge) to tillage land on soils which are not shallow or sandy. (SMR 4) |
| 15 | Start of closed period for applying organic manure with a high readily available nitrogen content (for example, slurry, poultry manures or liquid digested sewage sludge) to grassland on soils which are not shallow or sandy. (SMR 4) |
| 31 | If you hold a summer water abstraction licence (authorising abstraction wholly within the months of April to October), the Environment Agency will make actual abstraction return forms available to you from 31 October. You then have 28 days to send your readings to the Environment Agency. (GAEC 18) |
| November | 1 | You can burn heather, rough grass, gorse or vaccinium on land, other than in upland areas, from this date. (GAEC 10) |
| 30 | If you have a two part tariff agreement for your water abstraction licence, expect to receive your second part charge after 30 November. (GAEC 18) |
| December | 1 | You need to carry out your annual inventory of sheep. (SMR 8) |
| 31 | All new Soil Protection Reviews/annual updates to be completed. (GAEC 1) |