The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) has informed AgriLand that there was no extension to the catch crop establishment deadline and the department will review cases planted after the date on a case-by-case basis.
Catch crops planted under the Green, Low-carbon, Agri-environment Scheme (GLAS) must be planted by September 15.
On September 10, AgriLand reported that a derogation on the planting deadline had been applied for, but the response was unlikely to come before September 15.
The department confirmed today (September 28) that no extension to the catch crop establishment deadline (September 15) was granted.
However, the response noted that: “DAFM committed to review individual cases that might have experienced difficulties due to severe weather on a case-by-case basis.”
This is a positive outcome as it is likely that where farmers can show that planting was genuinely late due to the delayed harvest common sense should prevail.
Previous extension
In 2017, farmers were granted an extension to the deadline due to the wet conditions and delayed harvest.
The deadline was extended to September 30 and a further extension was granted until October 28 when pressure remained on farmers. These crops then remained in-situ until January 31, as opposed to December 1.