Teagasc has confirmed that tillage farmers must meet all conditionality criteria in 2024 within the originally specified 14-day time period.
The measures kick-in immediately post-harvest.
Last year, the 14-day period allowed to complete all relevant shallow cultivation work was extended to 28 days.
That decision was taken in light of the very poor harvest weather conditions, which were impacting at that time.
Conditionality refers to a set of baseline conditions, which all beneficiaries of the Basic Income Support for Sustainability (BISS) scheme, and other area-based schemes, must adhere to.
Conditionality criteria
As part of conditionality, tillage farmers are required to take measures to establish green cover as soon as possible post-harvest to prevent the pollution of waters caused by nitrates.
Shallow cultivation or sowing of a crop/catch crop must take place within 10 days of the baling of straw or, where straw is chopped, within 10 days of harvest.
In all circumstances, shallow cultivation or sowing of a crop/catch crop must take place within 14 days of harvesting.
Situations where shallow cultivation is not required include land destined for winter combinable crops, which are sown before October 31.
Other exceptions relate to late-harvested crops, including beet; potatoes; maize and beans; cereals harvested after September 15 and certified organic holdings.
A minimum of 20% and a maximum of 25% of cereal land on each holding shall not be subject to shallow cultivation post-harvest to avoid possible negative impacts on farmland bird species.
Unless a crop has subsequently been established, this land shall not be subject to the use of any herbicides until at least February 1 in the following year.
Shallow cultivation is only applicable to counties: Carlow; Cork; Dublin; Kildare; Kilkenny; Laois; Louth; Meath; Offaly; Tipperary; Waterford; Westmeath; Wexford, and Wicklow.
Soil consolidation as an alternative to shallow cultivation may apply in situations following oilseed rape or where the Land Parcel Identification System (LPIS) parcel has been certified by a Farm Advisory System (FAS)-approved advisor as containing certain grass weeds (brome species and black grass).
If soil consolidation is practised as an alternative to shallow cultivation, it must also take place within 14 days of harvesting.
Growers should avoid cultivations where water flowing over the land surface can enter a watercourse.