Cross Compliance - Home
Soil Protection Review - Documentation needed for an Inspection
All documents needed for an inspection can be found under the Guidance section of this website.
New: Adviser update 2010
A technical update briefing covering the latest changes to cross compliance requirements is available.
Aimed at professional advisers, the briefing videos provides current guidance on a range of issues including water abstraction (GAEC18), hedgerow and watercourse protection (GAEC 14) and land not in agricultural production (GAEC 12).
Changes to farmers’ liability and intentional non-compliance are also outlined.
Soil Protection Review training video
This video advises how farmers should approach their 2010 Soil Protection Review.
Defra published a revised SPR template on January 1, 2010, superseding earlier versions.
The video highlights some recent changes to help make sure SPS claimants are not liable for SPS payment deductions if inspected.
The new SPR template and the new accompanying edition of the Single Payment Scheme Cross Compliance Guidance for Soil Management document are available for download. Hard copies are available from Defra and the RPA.
The SPR can also be completed online via Defra’s whole farm approach website, www.wholefarm.defra.gov.uk.
NEW - Changes to the GAEC 12 requirements
Please click here for more details
NEW:2010 Cross Compliance Guidance Available - Please click here.
Information includes the following guidance
- General updates to statutory Management Requirements and GoodAgricultural and Environmental Conditions
- Sheep and Goat identification and record keeping
- Soi Protection review documents and guidance (including electronic copy of the SPR)
For Information on the Campaign for Farmed Environment - Please click here
Benn backs farmers’ green offer
9th July 2009: A groundbreaking agreement between the farming industry and Government means farmers will take action to ensure their farms support and protect wildlife and biodiversity, Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Secretary Hilary Benn announced today.
The new agreement will see the National Farmers Union, the Country Land and Business Association and other industry partners work with Natural England, the Environment Agency and the RSPB to get more farmers into Environmental Stewardship and expand voluntary action to help protect water quality and the farmland birds, plants and animals typical of the local landscape.
This commitment by the farming industry has enabled the Government to avoid having to regulate to recapture the environmental benefits of set-aside, which was abolished last year.
Under the new agreement, farmers will:
double the uptake of key agri-environment Entry Level Scheme in-field options, covering 40,000 hectares on top of current levels;
increase uncropped land by 20,000 hectares from January 2008 levels. The campaign will also seek to improve the environmental management of at least 60,000 hectares of this land; and
introduce voluntary measures on other land covering at least 30,000 hectares and up to 50,000 hectares.
The Campaign for the Farmed Environment will be led by the industry and will give famers advice and guidance on how to take appropriate action on their land. For more information please visit the Defra website.
Please Note:
1. The Cross Compliance Advice Programme are not able to authorise derogations. Derogations must be sought in writing from: Customer Service Centre, Rural Payments Agency, PO Box 1058, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, NE99 4YQ. E-mail: CSC@rpa.gsi.gov.uk
2. Cross Compliance information contained within this site applies to England only. For information on cross compliance in the other parts of the United Kingdom, contact the appropriate Devolved Administration below:
Scotland - 0131 556 8400
Welsh Assembly - 029 2075 2222
Northern Ireland - 028 71319900
