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SECTION 1 - The Menu Scheme
Introduction
Common Agricultural Policy (
CAP) Reform gives us the opportunity to
introduce land management contracts (
LMCs) in
Scotland. Introducing
LMCs will help
to encourage sustainable land management in Scotland.
LMCs are an
important way of delivering the objectives set out in 'A
Forward Strategy for Scottish Agriculture'. The
LMC concept has
been developed with stakeholders and has widespread support
across the range of interests. It is a whole farm system of
support, which makes payments for the delivery of
environmental, social and economic benefits. This focus on
delivering public goods for public funding has increased in
importance following
CAP Reform. The
LMC concept has
three tiers.
Tier 1 - The Single Farm Payment and cross
compliance
Securing a basic level of environmental protection, food
safety and animal welfare.
Tier 2 -
LMC Menu
Scheme
Delivering widespread benefits leading to economic,
social and environmental improvement.
Tier 3 - development for 2007
Will deliver tailored benefits leading to economic,
social and environmental enhancement.
We are introducing the Menu Scheme for the first time in
2005, alongside the new Single Farm Payment Scheme. The
menu is designed to provide a range of measures suited to
the range of land management activities and land types
throughout Scotland.
There are many options to choose from. Farmers and
crofters can use the menu to choose which activities they
want to carry out. The activities chosen will depend on
what suits the farmer's or crofter's circumstances, their
plans for future business development, and what measures
they are eligible for under the scheme. Some measures such
as training and farm visits, are one-offs. Others, such as
the agri-environment measures and the animal health and
welfare programme, run for five years.
Who can apply?
All land managers in Scotland can apply, but must be
registered with the Integrated Administration and Control
System (
IACS) and have a business reference
number(
BRN). If you do not already have a
BRN we will give you one.
You do not have to take part in the
SFPS or any other
IACS scheme (for example Energy Crops
Scheme). You can take part if you are already in an
agri-environment scheme, such as the Rural Stewardship
Scheme (
RSS) or Organic Aid Scheme (
OAS). However, you may not apply for
some of the options on land managed under an existing
scheme. Only land in Scotland is eligible.
When and how do I apply?
Applications
To apply in 2005, fill in an
LMC Menu Scheme
application form (
LMCMS 2) and an
IACS Single Application Form (
SAF). Return the
SAF by 16 May 2005 and the
LMC Menu Scheme
application by 6 June 2005. You are responsible for
delivering your forms to your
SEERAD Area Office . The Menu Scheme
does
not accept late applications.
Section 3 of this booklet gives full guidance on filling
in the menu scheme application form. The
IACS explanatory booklet gives guidance
on filling in the
IACS single application form. You can
get extra copies of the application forms from
SEERAD Area Offices or the
SEERAD website (
www.scotland.gov.uk/menuscheme).
- You must fill in a
SAF for us to work out your
allowance.
- If you are a 'cross-border' applicant with land in
Scotland and elsewhere in the
UK, your maximum allowance under the
menu scheme is based on the Scottish land declared on
the
IACS.
- We may pass information to
SEERAD agents so they can monitor
and evaluate the menu scheme.
Calculating your allowance
You have a maximum yearly allowance based on the total
area of land you declared in your 2005 single application
form. This is the total of boxes X and Y on your field data
sheets and your estimated share of any common grazing land
(which should be worked out by multiplying the area of
common grazing land by your share of it as declared in
section 6 of the single application form).
We will check these areas and adjust your allowance
where necessary.
You can work out your own maximum allowance. It is:
- £75 a hectare for your first 10 hectares;
- £30 a hectare for your next 90 hectares;
- £1 a hectare for your next 900 hectares;
- 10p a hectare for any hectares over 1000.
Once you have worked out your allowance you can choose
options on the menu up to that amount. We will only pay you
for options you choose in the 2005 scheme year.
You will be able to work out your maximum allowance in
2006 based on the land you declare in your 2006 single
application form. If you choose an option that runs for 5
years, we will take the cost of that option from your
allowance for the year you chose the option and the next
four years after that.
Financial limits
There are restrictions under
EU regulations on the maximum annual
funding available. The ceiling on your total claims across
the Agri-environment options under the
LMC Menu Scheme,
with the
RSS,
CPS,
OAS,
ESA and the Habitats Scheme is E900
(around £630) per hectare for specialised perennial crops,
E600 (around £420) per hectare for annual crops and E450
(around £315) per hectare per annum for other land
uses.
This means you cannot receive a combined sum (for all
the above schemes) greater than the above figures for each
type of land use. For example 10 fields totalling 100 ha of
cereals could have £42,000 funding per annum for
agri-environment measures or 5 fields totalling 100 ha
grassland would have a ceiling of £31,500 per annum.
If you already have commitments to this level you will
only be eligible for payments under the Menu Scheme for
options 1-5 and 15-17. You will not get further funding for
agri-environment (options 6-14).
If the amount claimed in your Menu Scheme application
exceeds the funding available to you because you have
exceeded your allowance or breached the maximum funding
ceiling for all agri-environment measures, there will be a
facility to amend your application to reduce the funding
sought. If it is found you have falsely declared land to
increase your maximum allowance penalties may apply.
Common Grazings
Agri-environment, woodland and access options cannot be
undertaken on the common grazings. However, as outlined
above your share of the common grazing will be used in
calculating your allowance.
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