Tillage farmers are being reminded that 2023 is the first of the four years covered by the new reference period for crop rotation under the current Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) measures.
According to the criteria laid down within Good Agricultural and Environmental Condition (GAEC) 7, tillage farmers must commit to the principles associated with good crop rotation practice.
The main objective of GAEC 7 is preserving soil potential; it is applicable to arable/tillage land only.
Crop rotation
Planned crop rotations improve soil quality and health where e.g., the rotation includes deep rooting crops such as brassicas (such as oilseed rape) and legumes (e.g., beans).
Crop rotation also has advantages in terms of weed, pest and disease control.
The crop rotation element of GAEC 7 also incentivises rotation with cover crops, which may be more suitable to holdings specialising in the production of barley for the malting and distilling industry, and on smaller holdings where compliance presents various agronomic challenges.
Holdings with a tillage area equal to or greater than 10ha must implement a crop rotation which requires at least two different crops to be sown at parcel level over a four-year cycle.
There must be at least two different crops within an arable parcel over the period 2023-2026 inclusive.
So, e.g., growing spring barley continuously does not comply with the compliance regulation. However, a mix of wheat, barley and beans within an allocated parcel will.
Other compliant crop rotation options include wheat and beet or wheat oilseed rape and barley.
GAEC
GAEC 7 also covers the criteria linked to crop diversification.
According to Teagasc, the normal rules of crop diversification comprise the following:
- There is no crop diversification requirement where a farmer declares less than 10ha of arable land;
- Between 10ha and 30ha of arable land, a farmer is obliged to grow at least two crops, and any one crop cannot exceed 75% of the arable land;
- Over 30ha of arable land, the farmer is obliged to grow at least three crops, of which the main crop shall not cover more than 75% of the arable land; the two main crops together must not cover more than 95% of the arable land.
Permanent grassland does not count as a crop for the three-crop rule. However temporary grassland can be counted as a crop and therefore comes into the calculation if greening is required.