1. Žanete ZAHAROVA Head of Agri-environmental division EU Direct support department RURAL SUPPORT SERVICE (RSS) phone: +371 6 7027880 fax: +371 6 7027861 Administration process of Agri-environmental measure in Latvia Administration process of Agri-environmental measure in Latvia

2. Measure : Agri - environment Area related payments: Development of Organic Farming Preservation of Biodiversity in Grasslands Establishment of Buffer Belts Restriction of Erosion Animal payment: Preservation of Genetic Resources of Farming Animals

3. Basic rules Support to applicant may be granted if: farmer is physical person or legal person engaged in agricultural activity; farms at least 1 ha of cultivated agricultural land composed of fields not smaller than 0.3 ha; Good Farming Practice is being applied throughout the farm; enters agri-environmental commitment for respective area/metres/animal for the period of five years including the first year of payment approval.

4. 1. Development of Organic Farming (1) Activities Eligible to Receive Support : supporting of those agricultural holdings, which are producing organic farming production supporting of those agricultural holdings, which are in transition to the production of organic produce

5. 1. Development of Organic Farming (2) To apply for this measure: support to applicant may be granted if farms comply with the provisions lied down in Regulation (EEC) No 2092/91 ( farms are certified by nationally recognised institution in Latvia); holdings in transition to organic farming methods has to get certificate on the transitional period;

6. 1. Development of Organic Farming (3) holdings already farming with organic farming methods has to get certificate on farming with organic farming methods. Nationally recognised institution in Latvia: State limited company “CENTRE of CERTIFICATION and TESTING” OR association “ENVIRONMENT QUALITY”

7. 1. Development of Organic Farming (4) Status of the farmPremium EUR/ ha 1 st year of transition 139 2 nd year of transition 139 Farm holding has Organic farming certificate 82 The premium is paid as follows:

8. 2. Preservation of Biodiversity in Grasslands (1) Activities Eligible to Receive Support : Maintenance of biologically valuable grasslands in an environmentally friendly manner by implementation of the following activities: extensive pasturing; late mowing of grasslands.

9. 2. Preservation of Biodiversity in Grasslands (2) To apply for this measure: in case of extensive pasturing – pasturing of 0,65 to 0,74 animal units per biologically valuable grassland ha of the farm; July 10 and September 10 in case of late mowing – mowing shall be performed between July 10 and September 10, and the moved grass shall be removed. The sub-measure shall apply to biologically valuable grasslands (incl. river flood-lands) as identified by the organisation “Latvian Fund for Nature”

10. 2. Preservation of Biodiversity in Grasslands (3) The premium is paid as follows: Activities to be performedEUR/ha annually Extensive pasturing in grassland areas 138 Late mowing138

11. 3. Establishment of Buffer Belts (1) Activities Eligible to Receive Support : Establishment and maintenance of grasslands, as: water protection belts alongside rivers, lakes, water reservoirs and trenches of reclamation systems; field buffer belts. The sub measure covers environmentally vulnerable zones (established in accordance with the Nitrate directive) of BAUSKA, DOBELE, JELGAVA and RIGA districts

12. 3. Establishment of Buffer Belts (2) To apply for this measure: Support may be granted to the applicant if: * perennial grassland is established in the buffer belt; * the length of the buffer belt for the field is at least 100 m.

13. 3. Establishment of Buffer Belts (3) In case of water protection belts: water protection buffer belt is established in agricultural land in field blocks not smaller than 0,3 ha; in case of water reservoirs or watercourses the width of the buffer belt shall be 10 m from the edge, but in case of a brae – from the top edge thereof; in case of trenches the width of buffer belts shall be 4 m from the edge of the trench; undertaking is made to perform mowing at least once every year not earlier than the 10 th of July and not later than by the 10 th of September, removing the mowed grass.

14. 3. Establishment of Buffer Belts (4) In case of field buffer belts: field buffer belt is established in agricultural land in field blocks not smaller than 0,3 ha; field buffer belt is established along sides of the field of 4 m; undertaking is made to perform mowing at least once every year not earlier than the 10 th of July and not later than by the 10 th of September, removing the grass mowed.

15. 3. Establishment of Buffer Belts (5) Activities Eligible to Receive SupportEUR/meter annually Establishment and maintenance of field buffer belts where the width of the buffer belts is 4 m 0,180 Establishment and maintenance of water protection buffer belts along water reservoirs or watercourses where the width of the buffer belt is 10 m 0,256 Establishment and maintenance of water protection buffer belts along trenches where the width of buffer belts is 4 m from the edge of the trench 0,102 The premium is paid as follows:

16. 4. Preservation of Genetic Resources of Farming Animals (1) Objective : Preserving, protecting and propagating the bloodstock of farming animals of important local breeds, which are nationally and internationally recognised as endangered populations.

17. 4. Preservation of Genetic Resources of Farming Animals (2) To apply for this measure: Support may be granted to the applicant if: * Respective organisation of breeders of pedigree animals has issued a CONCLUSION concerning the conformity of the animal with the criteria of preservation of genetic resources of farming animals in accordance with pedigree animal pedigree programme;

18. 4. Preservation of Genetic Resources of Farming Animals (3) * applicant agrees not to sell or donate the subsidised animal, or eliminate it, except under special circumstances (expiry of productive age of the animal, diseases, accidents, where the animal has partially suffered and has irremediable disease) during the period of 5 following the validity period of agreement on granting the support.

19. 4. Preservation of Genetic Resources of Farming Animals (4) The premium is paid as follows for such ANIMALS Amount of payment, EUR per animal annually Animals of the Latvian Brown cow breed 131 Animals of the Latvian Blue cow breed 199 Animals of the Latvian White pig breed 148 Animals of the Latvian Dark headed sheep breed 75 Draught horse of the Latvian horse breed 198 Animals of the Latvian local breed goats 77

20. Restriction of Erosion (1) To apply for this measure: The applicant undertakes commitments, in respect of agricultural area of land he declared on the first year. The applicant undertakes not to change the declared area in the followings years as well as to declare the area that is under support for eligible crops within the framework of area of commitment. Over the winter period from the 15 th of November till the 1 st of March next year, at least 70 % of agricultural land at the farm is under green areas.*

21. Restriction of Erosion (2) * green areas - including perennial grasses sowed in arable land, winter cereals (winter wheat, rye, winter barley, triticale), winter canola, grasses for seed gathering, post-harvest residues – stubbles, and green manure plant stand (for example, winter rape and ripe, lupin). Support payment for green areas (excluding permanent meadows and grasslands): In Nitrate vulnerable zones - 23 EUR/ha; In rest of Latvia - 40 EUR/ha.

22. Statistics of Agri-environmental measure Sub-measures 200420052006 No.of applicants Total area; ha – thous. No.of applicants Total area; ha – thous. No.of appli- cants Total area; ha – thous. Development of Organic Farming 10614128441014034144 Preservation of Biodiversity in Grasslands 10669247819,60371228.04 Establishment of Buffer Belts --254~ 300 000 m 269~ 377 638 Preservation of Genetic Resources of Farming Animals 371-508-540- Restriction of Erosion ----7765117

23. Amount of Support, thous. EUR 200420052006 (provisional) Development of Organic Farming 489112 18617 111 Preservation of Biodiversity in Grasslands 122725253718 Establishment of Buffer Belts -4658 Preservation of Genetic Resources of Farming Animals 235291 Restriction of Erosion --11 242

24. Process of administration (1) 4 persons from headquarter of RSS and 45 administrators regional agricultural department of RSS; Every year RSS elaborates informative booklet with basic rules to apply for the support; For area payment we have one single application form Date of submission : June 11, 2007

25. Process of administration (2) For sub-measure “Preservation of Genetic Resources of Farming Animals” another application form Date of submission : September 1, 2006 For sub-measure “Restriction of Erosion” another application form Date of submission : October 2, 2006

26. Process of administration (3) Administration process: through integrated administration and control system (IACS); Agri-environmental commitments are controlled through Commitment module; from June 9/September 1/October 2 till next year 30 th of June;

27. Process of administration (4) Each application form goes through 6 administration levels: 1. Receipt and registration of application; 2. Visual compliance check; 3. Data capture; 4. Specification of data; 5. First administrative check; 6. Second administrative check.

28. Process of administration (5) Every spring RSS sent Agri- environmental spring reminding letter which specifies the farmer’s commitments: block number, area (hectares) Good farming practice is checked on the spot by the department of Control during the whole administration process

29. Agri-environmental measure 2007-2013 2004-20062007-2013 Development of Organic Farming Preservation of Biodiversity in Grasslands Establishment of Buffer Belts Preservation of Genetic Resources of Farming Animals Restriction of Erosion _____________Introducing and promoting integrated horticulture

30. Basic rules Support to applicant will be granted if: farmer is physical person or legal person engaged in agricultural activity; farms at least 1 ha of cultivated agricultural land composed of fields not smaller than 0.3 ha; enters agri-environmental commitment for respective area/metres/animal for the period of five years including the first year of payment approval; Cross-Compliance is being applied throughout the farm.

31. Thank You for attention! Žanete ZAHAROVA Head of Agri-environmental division EU Direct support department RURAL SUPPORT SERVICE (RSS) phone: +371 6 7027880 fax: +371 6 7027861