EU relaxes green rules to ease ‘exceptional’ drought
Allowing greater use of environmental areas for grazing and forage production along with greater up-front payments of farm support are amongst a number of emergency measures aimed at mitigating the effects drought announced by the European Commission yesterday.
Reacting to the extreme weather conditions across much of Europe, farm commissioner Phil Hogan said that farmers would be able to receive their direct and rural development payments in advance and would be granted more flexibility to use land that would normally not be used for production, in order to feed their animals.
“The ongoing and prolonged drought situation in several EU countries is having a significant impact on the production of arable crops, as well as animal feed which could also have an impact on animal welfare,” said Hogan.
“In addition, the reduction in the level of animal feed is having a particular impact on the income of livestock farmers, as this will increase their input costs if there is a shortage of fodder later in the year.”
Hogan’s announcement was welcomed as a “pragmatic move” by NFU Scotland, vice-president Martinkennedysayingitwould allow member states to flex greening rules so that farmers could take steps to alleviate the worst impacts of what were “exceptional circumstances”.
“In a year when all of Europe is struggling with high temperatures and drought, it is welcome that the European Commission has recognised the impact that the prolonged period of exceptionally dry weather has had,” he said, adding that the union was examining the measures to see if they would be of practical use to farmers in Scotland:
“As a matter of urgency, we are seeking further detail from thecommission and will be speaking with the Scottish Government”.
He said that the types of greening derogations which would be of most use had been identified at Wednesday’s fodder crisis meeting.
These included:
l A relaxation of the threecrop rule requirement to allow growers more time to bale straw rather than plant winter crops.
l A reduction in the EFA fallow period to allow a fodder crop to be grown over the autumn and available for stock in early spring.
l Flexibility in the rules requiring “green manure crops” like clover, peas and oats to be ploughed in after 15 August t o allow them to be used for fodder.
“In addition, NFUS will make a formal request to Scottish Government to pay at least 90% of the basic payment scheme in October as they did last year, and bring forward the payment of all pillar two payments – most notably, the less favoured area support scheme,” said Kennedy.