31 March 2010 - 11/10
The Rural Payments Agency has published a list of the most common cross compliance breaches on its website.
www.rpa.gov.uk/crosscompliance
The statistics show a breakdown of the non-compliances found under each Statutory Management Requirement (SMR) and Good Agricultural and Environmental Condition (GAEC) during cross-compliance inspections carried out in the 2009 calendar year as well as an individual table showing the number and level of reductions applied to farmers’ claims.
In 2009 Cattle identification breaches remained the most common cross compliance failures, with failures to report movements or deaths of animals to the Cattle Tracing System, record movements correctly in farm records or tag animals / replace lost tags within the prescribed deadlines being the three most frequent discrepancy types found.
There were also a notable number of breaches under the nitrate vulnerable zones, sheep identification and animal welfare SMRs and the soils and the protection of hedgerows and watercourses GAECs.
These farmers who are failing to get it right are feeling the impact even more this year because of last year’s requirement for RPA to take a less lenient approach. For 2009 SPS inspections RPA issued 3% reductions for most negligent cross compliance breaches found.
Further guidance and assistance with complying with the cross compliance standards can be obtained from the cross compliance advice programme run by Momenta, helpline number: 0845 345 1302
Editor’s notes
The Rural Payments Agency (RPA) is an executive agency of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra). It is the single paying agency responsible for CAP schemes in England and for administering certain schemes, including the OCDS and Milk Quotas, throughout the UK.
Media only contact: Caroline Forcer, RPA Press Office , 0118 968 7680 caroline.forcer@rpa.gsi.gov.uk
Page published: 31 March 2011