The Organic Farming (Wales) Regulations 1999

regulations 4(2) and 13(4)(a)

SCHEDULE 1E+W CALCULATION OF AID

PART IE+W PAYMENT IN RESPECT OF AN ORGANIC PARCEL

1.  AAPS eligible land and permanent crops:E+W

2.  Enclosed land:E+W

3.  Unenclosed land and grazed woodland:E+W

In Part I of this Schedule—

• “AAPS eligible land" means land which is “eligible land" within the meaning of the Arable Area Payments Regulations 1996 M1;

• “coastal belt" means the strip of land between the high tide mark and the field boundary nearest to the sea;

• “enclosed land" means any land other than AAPS eligible land and permanent crops which is fully enclosed by a traditional boundary or fence and which, if it includes moorland, does not comprise more than 5 hectares of moorland;

• “grazed woodland" means woodland used for grazing by livestock;

• “moorland" means land represented by the areas coloured brown on the maps contained in the volume of maps marked “Moorland Map of Wales 1992", deposited at the offices of the National Assembly for Wales, Cathays Park, Cardiff;

• “permanent crops" means any crops which occupy the soil for a period of five years or more and yield crops over several years;

• “slate fence" means a fence comprising pieces of slate hammered vertically into the ground in a line and attached to each other using a single strand of wire;

• “traditional field boundaries" means structures such as hedges, stone walls, earth banks and slate fences customarily used to separate fields within a farm;

• “unenclosed land" means land other than enclosed land which is moorland or coastal belt.

PART IIE+W PAYMENT IN RESPECT OF THE ORGANIC UNIT AS A WHOLE

regulation 5(2)(b)(ii) and (iv)

SCHEDULE 2E+W STANDARDS TO BE OBSERVED

1.  The beneficiary shall not plough, reseed or improve, by use of drainage, manures or liming agents, any heathland, grassland of conservation value, including species-rich grassland, or rough grazing. The beneficiary shall not graze any such semi-natural habitats so as to cause poaching, over-grazing or under-grazing affecting the conservation value of those habitats.E+W

2.  The beneficiary shall avoid localised heavy stocking in the nesting season on areas of semi-natural vegetation, including heathland, species-rich grassland and rough grazing.E+W

3.  The beneficiary shall not carry out field operations, such as harrowing or rolling, on species-rich grassland or rough grazing during the nesting season.E+W

4.  The beneficiary shall not cultivate or apply fertillisers to the land within 1 metre of any boundary features, such as fences, hedges or walls.E+W

5.  The beneficiary shall retain traditional farm boundary features, for example, hedges and walls. He shall carry out hedge-trimming in rotation, but not between 1st March and 31st August in any year. The beneficiary shall maintain any stockproof boundaries, using traditional methods and materials.E+W

6.  Ditch maintenance shall be carried out in rotation, but not between 1st March and 31st August in any year.E+W

7.  The beneficiary shall maintain streams, ponds and wetland areas.E+W

8.  The beneficiary shall retain any copses, farm woodlands or groups of trees.E+W

9.  The beneficiary shall ensure that in farming the land he does not damage, destroy or remove any feature of historical or archaeological interest, including areas of ridge and furrow.E+W

10.  The beneficiary shall abide by the terms of the Codes of Good Agricultural Practice for the Protection of Soil, Air, Water and, where applicable, Pesticides, published from time to time by the Secretary of State for Wales or the National Assembly for Wales.E+W