1. Cross Compliance Inspections / Controls
ACA Conference and AGM
Birr
8th March 2017
Cross Compliance Inspections / Controls
Commonage Meetings 2014

2. Explanatory Handbook issued to all farmers

3. Cross Compliance Changes in 2017? GAEC 4 – Minimum Soil Cover
Still awaiting outcome of EU Commission audit in December 2016 but there may be changes to GAEC 4 and slopes may be introduced
SMR 8 – Sheep/Goat IDR
Following clarification from the Commission certain elements relating to Dispatch Documents and the Database/Annual Census will no longer be covered by Cross Compliance but the checks will be carried out
SMR 10 – Pesticides
Checks will be carried out in respect of sprayer certification but will not impact on Cross Compliance

4. Cross Compliance Inspections
1% of farmers are selected for Full Cross Compliance approximately 1360 cases
No notice is given but once the unannounced elements are completed farmer can defer the remainder of the inspection for up to 48 hours provided there is no non-compliance with those SMRs or can proceed with the remainder of the inspection
3% of herds are inspected for Cattle and Sheep/Goat Identification and Registration. Must account for 5% of national flock for Sheep
IDR inspections are generally announced with up to 48 hours notice given 4

5. Cross Compliance Inspections
In 2015 Cross Compliance sanctions across ALL schemes amounted to €4.4m out of a total of €1.5Bn
2015 sanctions account for 0.3% of total payments. Average sanction was €1,097.46
Of the €4.4m almost €1.9m was for breaching the Nitrates 170kg N/Ha limit. 100% of farmers are checked administratively for this requirement farmers breached the requirement in 2015
2015 sanctions were over €400,000 LOWER than 2014 5

6. Main Cross Compliance Issues
The SMRs/GAEC that cause most problems include:
Nitrates – e.g. Inadequate collection of organic fertiliser
GAEC – e.g. Poaching, noxious weeds, encroachment, removal of Landscape Features
Bovine Identification and Registration (IDR) – e.g. Tags missing, registration and notification issues
Ovine Identification and Registration – e.g. Tags missing, flock register & dispatch dockets issues and Census errors
Records are required for a number of SMRs including:
Animal Remedies, Pesticide application records, Flock/Herd Registers, fertiliser and feed receipts 6

7. NITRATES BREACH DISTRIBUTION 2015

8. BOVINE IDR BREACH DISTRIBUTION 2015

9. SHEEP/GOAT IDR BREACH DISTRIBUTION 2015

10. Welfare of Animals Breach Distribution 2015

11. PESTICIDE BREACH DISTRIBUTION 2015

12. FOOD/FEED HYGIENE BREACHES 2015

13. GAEC BREACH DISTRIBUTION 2015

14. GAEC 5 - Severe Poaching

15. GAEC 5 – Sacrifice Paddock

16. GAEC 7 – Noxious weeds

17. GAEC 7 – Landscape Features
In 2009 hedgerows, trees in a line and drains (drainage ditches) were designated as Landscape Features
Former REPS designated habitats were also designated
In 2015 archaeological sites and monuments were also designated
All Landscape Features are protected and cannot be damaged or removed
However!!
Hedgerows, drains and trees in a line can be removed if replaced IN ADVANCE by the same feature of equal length somewhere else on the farm

18. GAEC 7 – Landscape Features
Before removing any Landscape Feature be conscious of the EIA requirements, whether land is SPA/SAC and the bird nesting season
Farmers cannot cut hedges during the bird nesting season which is currently 1 March – 31 August
Avoid encroachment of invasive woody species on land e.g. Briars, scrub etc.
Noxious weeds must be controlled to avoid sanction

19. Thank you!