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SECTION 2 - The Menu of Options

This section describes the options available. We describe each option in detail, indicating any conditions for being eligible, and any documentation you may need to provide.

Option 1 - Animal Health and Welfare Management Programme

The aim of this option is to:

• make significant improvements to the health and welfare of Scottish livestock;
• to contribute to farm business profitability and product quality; and
• to promote the social, economic and environmental sustainability of the Scottish livestock industry and the wider rural community.

We will provide grant support towards the cost of implementing a farm-specific Animal Health and Welfare Management Programme which will reflect your own particular farm management structure.

This is a five year commitment. In each year you can claim the standard costs, as shown below, of implementing agreed actions to raise animal health and welfare standards. If you are a member of an existing health scheme you are still eligible to apply, subject to Land Management Contract Menu Scheme conditions.

Ultimately, benefits are envisaged as arising from the Programmes at a number of levels. You will receive financial support towards improving the situation of your livestock and will benefit in the longer term from the reduced costs and increased productivity to be gained from healthier stock. The wider Scottish livestock industry will benefit from an improved reputation for high quality products arising from farming systems with high health, welfare and environmental standards, as well as reduced disease-related constraints on export and a reduced likelihood of an exotic disease outbreak; this will have significant knock-on benefits to the wider rural community and rural visitors.

What activities are supported?

Those individual businesses with a minimum of 4 livestock units (as entered on the Single Application Form ( IACS)) will be eligible to apply to carry out all of the options. Information on livestock units is available in Annex B1. Pigs, poultry and horses are excluded from participation of the scheme.

You will have an annual discussion (assessment) with your vet, which is likely to follow the direction outlined in Annex B2 Sections 1-6; this will include a review of the current health and welfare of your stock. As part of the initial discussion you will be required to sign a declaration confirming that you will keep at least 4 livestock units at all times for the next five years.

From this starting point you will, with your vet, develop, agree and document a programme of actions to be taken as part of your personalised Animal Health and Welfare Management Programme (Annex B2 Section 7). This will comprise of specific actions that you will undertake to actively manage animal health and welfare issues, either directly or by buying in services.

The type of agreed actions likely to be specified in your Animal Health and Welfare Management Programme are outlined in pages 9 to 11. Action 1 is compulsory each year for all those taking this LMC menu option. Actions 2 to 5 are voluntary actions that may help you to address some of the issues identified during discussions with your vet, and for which you can get extra funding for each year. However, not all of these will be applicable to your particular farm business and a different selection from these options may be required according to conditions on your farm. Subject to EU approval we hope to introduce greater flexibility to these options.

1. Animal Health and Welfare Management Plan

Annual payment rate: standard cost £220

Plan and implement a proactive scheme for treating diseases, including guidance on following a vet's advice and treatment. Your Plan will detail the agreed first and second lines of treatment, individual dosage instructions and the withdrawal periods for each treatment.

Plan and implement a scheme for using vaccines and preventative medicines. Your Plan will detail the vaccines or preventative medicines you will use, and individual dosage instructions and withdrawal periods for each vaccine or preventative medicine.

There is no standard template for the Plan, however, it must include a summary of the annual discussion (assessment) with your vet along with a list of agreed treatment and vaccine/preventative medicine plans as per the compulsory actions outlined above; suggested templates for these can be found at the end of Annex B2. The Plan should also outline the agreed activities under any voluntary options you wish to take, although the detail may be given in other documents. This Animal Health and Welfare Management Plan must be agreed, implemented and re-assessed with your vet on an annual basis, and the updated Plan must be in place by 1 December each year.

Depending on the needs of your business you may also take up any or all of the options below.

2. Performance Monitoring/Benchmarking

Annual payment rate: standard cost £320

Undertake additional inspection and monitoring to collate performance indicators, analyse all significant animal health and welfare related observations arising from inspections and implement an action plan to measure performance.

You will record, either weekly or monthly, an agreed selection of pre-determined performance measures and disease symptoms according to the type of your enterprise.

Your vet will periodically enter this information into a central national database. This will allow you, along with your vet, to monitor the impact and progress of your Animal Health and Welfare Management Programme and to make comparisons between your enterprise and other similar enterprises in the same veterinary practice area, geographical area or across Scotland. For example, this will allow you to compare the incidence of lameness relative to similar farm types in your region. You will discuss with your vet the database reports, how particular issues highlighted could play a part in preventing your herd or flock from achieving its potential, and how your Animal Health and Welfare Management Programme and general farm management could be modified to address the problems identified. It should be emphasised that all information on the database will be coded and therefore anonymous.

Benchmarking will be between enterprises of a similar type and the categories used for the purpose of this option are:

For each enterprise type, you will be asked to record a set of specific production measures ( e.g. concerning lambing/calving, culling, stock dying and stock sold) and a set of disease syndromes ( e.g. pneumonia, scour, lameness, skin problems, milk fever). Further information on the specific measures and symptoms to be recorded is available at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2005/11/11113848/38489.

3. Biosecurity

Initial payment: standard cost £30

Annual payment rate: standard cost £0.10 per running metre (up to a maximum of 3000 metres)

Produce a biosecurity plan to ensure the safe integration of new stock on farm and to minimise the risk of spreading disease. This can include maintaining fences around isolation areas to enhance biosecurity levels and to prevent diseases from entering the herd/flock.

You will prepare and implement a biosecurity plan which identifies where at least one isolation area is to be maintained; this can be in a shed, holding, pen or field. If claiming annual payment for maintenance of fencing around a field-based isolation area the field identification number(s) ( FID) must be given in the plan. The stock management (and fencing if applicable) must ensure that there is no contact between new stock and existing farm stock, e.g. by nose to nose contact or shared watering facilities, and the biosecurity plan must also detail staff and visitor awareness and disinfection procedures.

If claiming annual fence maintenance under this option, the total area claimed for may consist of separate fields on different premises with boundary and internal fencing, but buildings and dykes are excluded. The area must be currently fenced (this option does not provide for new fencing) and must be maintained as a facility capable of use as an isolation area. However, subject to discussions with your vet, there is no need to take the field out of production when not in use for isolating new stock. Fencing funded under existing environment schemes are excluded.

In maintaining the fencing you will:

• Inspect the fencing;
• Tighten slack wiring;
• Reattach loose wiring;
• Replace damaged fence posts and/or sections.

4. Sampling

Annual Payment rate: standard cost £155

On the advice of your veterinary surgeon undertake sampling to identify diseases/conditions that may be present on farm and having a negative impact on animal health and welfare, such as twin lamb disease or copper deficiency, and take informed control measures to address identified conditions.

You will arrange for sampling to be undertaken on the advice of your vet, for example blood or milk testing or faecal sampling, and for laboratory analysis of the samples. Statutory testing and the analysis of soil are excluded. Support for soil analysis is available under option 14, Nutrient Management. You will then discuss the results with your vet and undertake agreed control measures in line with your wider Animal Health and Welfare Programme. This will allow you to proactively establish and improve the disease status of your herd and/or flock.

It is possible that the sampling will be carried out by your vet at the same time as statutory testing. The veterinary time for this measure must be identified separately from veterinary statutory testing time.

5. Forage Analysis

Annual payment rate: standard cost £110

Analyse forages and obtain and implement professional nutritional advice.

Forage is defined as bulk feeding stuff, such as silage or hay. You will send forage samples for laboratory analysis, discuss the results with a professional nutritionist and implement the advice given.

How do I get started?

• Ensure that your LMC Menu Scheme application and IACS Single Application Forms are submitted by 15 May;
• Check with your area office that your vet is SEERAD-accredited for developing Animal Health and Welfare Management Programmes, or look at the SEERAD website (http://www.scotland.gov.uk/ Topics/Agriculture/animal-welfare/policies/PolicyInfo/AHWManagementProgrammes/Introduction);
• Let your vet know that you intend to develop and implement an Animal Health and Welfare Management Programme as one of your options under the LMC Menu Scheme and arrange a suitable time to discuss this;
• Your vet will visit you to review the current health and welfare status of your stock and to gather information ( see Annex B2 Sections 1-6) and will discuss possible actions with you;
• These actions should be agreed and incorporated into your Animal Health and Welfare Programme by 1 December, and your compulsory Animal Health and Welfare Management Plan should also be in place by this date;
• The actions outlined in your Animal Health and Welfare Management Plan and other documents associated with your Animal Health and Welfare Management Programme should be completed by the end of the scheme year.

Evidence of compliance

The information that you discuss and the plans that you draw up will remain between you and your vet and should not be passed to SEERAD. However, in the event that we inspect your farm, to demonstrate compliance with the conditions of this menu option you will need to show officials a copy of your Animal Health and Welfare Management Plan, including your annual assessment. They will also need to see evidence ( e.g. any relevant documents and plans) relating to the agreed activities making up your Programme; this includes any voluntary options you have taken. ( See Section 4.)

Making a claim

We will send you a claim form, which you must fill in and send back to us by 31 August each year. On this form you must indicate which voluntary options you have undertaken. With your claim you must also send a signed declaration from your vet confirming that you have considered the recommendations in any specialist reports that you have received. You should keep details of any actions that you have taken as part of your Animal Health and Welfare Programme. This is necessary to provide evidence if you undergo an inspection, but SEERAD do not otherwise need to see them.

Option 2-Membership of quality assurance and organic certification schemes

Farmers should recognise the importance of high-quality production and we encourage farmers to become members of a quality assurance or organic certification scheme.

We will provide a yearly incentive payment if you take part in a quality assurance or organic certification scheme. We will refund 50% of your joining fees and ongoing membership costs (except VAT unless you are not registered for VAT). We will pay up to £150 for each scheme you are a member of.

All schemes must be certified to EN45011 standard. If a scheme is not certified to this standard by 1 February 2007 its members will be ineligible to receive payment through this measure.

Eligibility

You must be a member of a quality assurance or organic certification scheme on 16 May 2006 and 16 January 2007 to be eligible. You can be an existing member and you can join more than one quality assurance scheme (for example, for cereals and cattle).

The following quality-assurance schemes are eligible:

• Specially Selected Scotch Farm Assurance Scheme - Cattle and Sheep
• Specially Selected Scotch Farm Assurance Scheme - Pigs
• Scottish Quality Cereals Farm Assurance Scheme
• National Dairy Farm Assurance Scheme
• Assured Chicken Production
• Assured Produce Scheme
• Scottish Quality Wild Venison Assurance Scheme
• Farm Assured British Beef and Lamb Scheme
• Lion Quality for Eggs
• Freedom Foods
• Genesis Quality Assurance Scheme
• LEAF Marque

The following organic certification schemes are eligible:

• Scottish Organic Producers Certification Scheme
• Soil Association Certification Scheme Ltd
• Organic Farmers and Growers Ltd - Organic Assurance Scheme
• Bio-dynamic Agricultural Association

If you are participating in the Organic Aid Scheme ( OAS) or join this during the same year, you cannot claim funding for membership of any of the organic schemes listed above.

Evidence

You may be asked to provide evidence that you are a member of an eligible scheme. This evidence must include the name of the scheme, your membership number, your name and address and the fee you have paid. We will check this against the information held by the relevant quality assurance or organic scheme.

Option 3 - Training

The aim of this option is to increase and improve the skills present within agriculture and forestry, promoting a greater range of activities and improving competitiveness in the rural economy. We will contribute towards the cost of training which improves occupational skills and knowledge.

Each year we will pay:

• 75% of the cost of one or more training courses (not including VAT unless you are not registered for VAT) up to a maximum of £500 (or, lower if your available entitlement under the Menu Scheme is less) per scheme year.

You must obtain receipts showing the course provider, type of course and the cost of it.

To take up this option, fill in the total amount you expect to claim in Section 3 of the LMC Menu Scheme application form. Remember it is a maximum of 75% of the actual cost.

Eligibility

You can be either the business owner or an employee (including an immediate family member who is actively involved in the business).

The training course must relate to one of the following aspects ( see Annex C for examples of types of training courses):

• Business skills
• Marketing
• Managing people
• Opportunities for expanding into other activities (for example, training towards getting an HGV licence to move into road haulage)
• Technical skills

You cannot apply for the following training activities:

• Full-time or part-time education;
• Courses where you can get financial support from another public source, including EU funding;
• Training courses leading to the acquisition of qualifications, certificates or licences currently required by law to carry out your basic farming and forestry activities (such as crop spraying courses, tractor driving courses, chainsaw courses for forestry workers);
• Training courses which you do not have to pay for.

A training provider recognised by Lantra - the Sector Skills Council for environmental and land based industries - must deliver the training. Agricultural and other colleges offer a wide selection of eligible training courses, as do other training providers. Information about relevant courses should be obtained directly from the training providers in the first instance. If however you experience difficulties in identifying a suitable provider or course, Lantra might be able to help, but they do not hold a full list of providers and do not hold lists of training courses. You can phone Lantra on 01738 553311.

The training can be delivered in various ways, such as:

• short training courses delivered away from the workplace at a local agricultural or other college, or at another hired venue;
• training delivered in the workplace; and
• on-line training courses.

Claiming payment

You can claim payment after you have completed and paid for all of the eligible training. You may be asked to send us a detailed invoice from your training provider which shows the cost of the courses. The name of the training provider and title of the course should be shown on the invoice as we will check this to make sure the course is eligible. You must finish the training, pay for it within the scheme year 15 May 2006 - 14 May 2007 and send us your claim before 31 August 2007.

Option 4 - Farm and woodland visits

The aim of this option is to increase public awareness of land management and to provide educational experiences for children and young people. This option is an opportunity to provide public good directly to the public. We expect this to lead to people having a better understanding of the contribution land managers make to their local community and the local environment, and helping to maintain rural areas. We will pay you for hosting visits to your farm or woodland for educational purposes.

We will pay £100 for every visit to your farm/ woodland within the scheme year. If you charge eligible groups for farm and woodland visits you cannot claim payment under the LMCMS.

Eligibilitys

Examples of who the visit may be from:

Children

Schools, scouts, guides, brownies, cubs, boys brigade, girls brigade (not from nurseries¹or playgroups because of the risk of serious illness to pre-school children).

Young people

Colleges (including agricultural colleges), university groups, youth clubs.

Adults

Community councils
Local rural partnerships
Local community planning partnerships
Community education groups
Adult education centres
Outdoor bound centres
Wildlife and conservation groups
History or archaeological societies
International visitors

As the purpose of this option is to increase awareness in the general public, visits from groups that are already associated with land management are not eligible.

If you are not sure whether a particular group's visit is eligible, ask your area office before arranging the visit.

You must provide evidence that you are insured to receive visitors onto your farm (that is, you have public liability insurance) and that you have met all relevant health and safety regulations. You should prepare a risk assessment and a farm information pack for farm visits (see guidance at Annexes D)and E). Keep a copy of these for us to inspect.

You or the farm or woodland manager must accompany the group throughout the visit, which must last for an hour or more. The group must consist of at least five people.

Applying for payment

Fill in the value of all visits to your land (up to a maximum of 10 visits and off-farm talks (see option 5) in any one year) in Section 3 of your application form ( LMCMS 2).

The payment covers preparing a risk assessment (expected to cost approx. £50), producing an information pack (providing educational information about the farm and any woodland and how you manage it), an hour of your or your land manager's time, any extra insurance costs that arise and expenses for things like signs and equipment needed for health and safety reasons.

Evidence

You must send us your claim by 31 August 2007. You may be asked to send us evidence that the visit has happened and that the group was eligible (a signed form from the group involved which shows the size of the group and the length of the visit (see the template at Annex F).

Further guidance

We recommend that you check that there is likely to be a demand for visits on your farm. You can do this by getting support from your local Royal Highland Educational Trust Group (addresses and contacts at Annex L), your local authority, a community council or another local community group. Your local Royal Highland Educational Trust Group is also a valuable source of advice on setting up, rules etc.

You should send groups information about their visits before their visit, and give leaflets to potential and actual visitors. These leaflets could give information on the environmental, historic and cultural features of your land.

Option 5 - Off-farm talks

The aim of this option is to increase public awareness of land management and to provide educational experiences for children and young people. This option is an opportunity to provide public good directly to members of the public. We expect this to help everyone play a part in improving the social environment in rural areas by giving communities a better understanding of the contribution land managers make to their local area.

We will pay you and your employees to provide talks for educational purposes away from your farm. We will pay £50 for each talk within the scheme year. This payment covers travel costs, producing an information pack, buying stationery and the cost of giving presentations. You should keep a copy of your presentation material for us to inspect. If you currently charge eligible groups for this service you cannot claim payment under the LMCMS.

Eligibility

Eligible and ineligible groups are the same as for option 4. You should prepare a farm information pack ( see the guidance at Annex E). Your talk should last at least 30 minutes and may be to any size of audience. Talks should be open to the general public, except for talks in schools and colleges.

Applying for payment

Fill in the value of off-farm talks you want to apply for (up to a maximum of 10 farm visits (see option 4) and off-farm talks in any one year) in Section 3 of your application form ( LMCMS2).

Evidence

You must send your claim to us by 31 August 2007. You may be asked to send evidence that the talk has taken place and that the group was eligible (a signed form from the group involved showing the size of the group and the length of the talk ( see the template at Annex F)).

Further guidance

We recommend that you check that there is likely to be a demand for talks beforehand. You can do this by getting support from your local Royal Highland Educational Trust Group (addresses and contacts at Annex L), your local authority, a community council or other local community Group. Your local Royal Highland Educational Trust is also a valuable source of advice for setting up, rules etc.

You should send groups information about your talk before it takes place, and give leaflets to potential audiences. These leaflets could give information on the environmental, historic and cultural features of your land.

Option 6 - Buffer areas

By contributing towards the cost of creating buffer areas, we aim to establish a network of wildlife corridors, reduce the risk of pollutants entering wetland areas and watercourses and protect and enhance the habitats and features, for example archaeological sites, prominent in-field and ancient trees, with which they are associated.

This is a 5 year commitment. We will pay you £200 per hectare of land managed under this measure. We will pay at the end of each year.

Requirements

• Establish a 3m-6m wide buffer area in arable fields or on improved grassland along watercourses or around springs, boreholes, areas of wetland, species rich grassland, woodland or archaeological sites;
• Features may be separated from the buffer area by dykes and hedges;
• You may cut in the managed area;
• You may graze animals as long as this does not cause environmental damage;
• You may control scrub where necessary to meet Good Agricultural Environmental Conditions ( GAEC);
• You must not use the area for supplementary feeding of stock;
• You must not use the area for storage of materials or machinery;
• You must not cultivate this land, or apply fertiliser or manure;
• You must not apply pesticides without the prior written agreement of your SEERAD area office. Normally, such consent will only be given to allow spot-treatment or the weed wiping of scheduled weeds (creeping, spear or field thistle, curled or broadleaved dock, and common ragwort) or invasive alien species ( e.g. Himalayan balsam, rhododendron and Japanese knotweed).

In addition if you are proposing to establish a buffer area around prominent, individual in-field and ancient trees on the landscape:

• That buffer area must extend to at least cover the area under the canopy of the tree;
• Leave fallen timber in the buffer area;
• If the tree falls, replace it to keep the landscape the same - but remember to leave the fallen tree behind.

You must prepare a sketch map which clearly shows the buffer areas you plan to manage. Keep this map safe as you must be able to show it to us at inspections. Do not send it to us with your application form.

If you are carrying out the nutrient management option (option 14) in fields with a watercourse, spring or borehole, you must also create a buffer area, under this option, alongside the watercourse and around any spring or borehole.

Water margins, grass margins, beetle banks and conservation headlands which are receiving management payments under RSS, CPS, ESA or Habitats Scheme are not eligible under this option. This option cannot be adopted on an area of land set-aside under the SFPS.

Option 7 - Management of linear features

• Hedgerows
• Ditches
• Dykes

Our aim is to improve the landscape by creating and improving habitats for breeding birds, plants and other wildlife. We will support the cost of managing farm hedgerows, hedgerow trees, ditches and dykes by sensitive cutting, clearing and reinstatement as appropriate.

Where a boundary linear feature is involved, the Menu Scheme payment will be in proportion to your level of responsibility; that is, if you and your neighbour are equally responsible for maintaining a dyke, you will be entitled to payment on half of the area of dyke. In such instances, Section 5 of the application form (a neighbour's agreement) must be completed. If the requirements are not met because your neighbour does not follow the option requirements, you will be in breach.

This is a 5 year commitment. We will make any payment you are due at the end of each year. We will pay £0.10 per metre for hedgerows and hedgerow trees, £1.00 per metre for ditches and £0.10 per square metre for dykes.

You must prepare a sketch map which clearly shows the feature you plan to manage. Keep this map safe as you must be able to show it to us at inspections. Do not send it to us with your application.

Hedgerows and hedgerow trees:

Requirements

• You should cut hedges on both sides no more than once every three years, and only cut one third of the hedgerow in any one year;
• Manage hedges over several years so they are at least 1.5 metres tall and at least 2 metres wide at the base, in an A-frame shape;
• Only cut back, trim or lop hedgerow trees between 1 December and 1 March;
• We encourage you to lay hedges;
• Where possible, encourage hedgerow trees to develop at intervals in the hedge, by marking and not cutting them;
• Plant trees of an appropriate native-species and shrubs to fill gaps in a hedge.

To meet EU requirements there is a limit of 50 metres of hedgerow maintained per hectare of the land that you farm.

Ditches:

A ditch is a man-made channel or adapted watercourse located on in-bye land, which has a bed width of not less than 0.3 metres and which generally carries water away from surrounding land or field drainage systems throughout the year.

Therefore, natural watercourses are not eligible for management under this option. This option is for ditches which will require management at some point in the next 5 years.

Efficient drainage is essential for productive farming. Natural watercourses do not need regular management, however artificial ditches usually require regular intervention to enable them to function efficiently, and to maintain their wildlife interest. As long as care is taken in the way in which maintenance is carried out, periodic cutting or clearing of such artificial ditches is no bad thing. Problems arise when work is carried out without considering the implications for the river system or the many plants and animals which it supports, and when natural burns are subjected to unsympathetic and often unnecessary management.

The canalisation or culverting of watercourses will be regulated by SEPA under the Water Environment and Water Services (Controlled Activities) (Scotland) Regulations that are due to come into force in April 2006.

Requirements

• You must not clear ditches more regularly than every third year and you should clear only one third of the ditches in any one year;
• Only clear ditches and cut bankside vegetation between 1 September and 31 January;
• Only cut vegetation, clear and re-profile on one side of a ditch on any occasion;
• Where possible, you should give banks shallow sloping sides (ideally 10 ^o or less), to encourage plant diversity and benefit waders and other bird species;
• Spread spoil across the field and level it. Do not mound it on the bank; and
• Maintain the ditches throughout the 5 year period.

To meet EU requirements, no more than 5 metres of ditches should be maintained under this option for every hectare of land you farm.

Dykes:

Requirements

• You should repair and reinstate deteriorated and damaged drystane walls. Drystane dykes should be maintained with material that is traditional to the locality and to a standard and style that is normally found there. Only dyking which has suffered minor damage or deterioration ( i.e. from fallen coping stones to totally collapsed sections of wall less than 2 metres in length) is eligible under this option.
• Dykes which have been restored using ESA Tier 2 capital money are not eligible for funding under this option.

To work out the area of the dyke, multiply its length by its average height in metres.

To meet EU requirements, you cannot maintain more than 50 square metres of dyke under this option for every hectare of land you farm. You must prepare a sketch map which clearly shows the location of the linear features you intend to manage. You need to keep this map as you must be able to produce it for inspection. Please do not send the map to us with your application form.

For this option please enter the length or area of the feature to be managed against the relevant 'field identifier' ( FID) under columns M and N of the permanent Field Data Sheet ( IACS 3). Remember to claim only for your part of any features you share responsibility for.

Hedges or dykes which are receiving funding under RSS, CPS, ESA Scheme Tier 2 or Organic Aid Scheme are not eligible under this option.

Option 8 - Management of moorland grazing

Photograph courtesy of Quality Meat Scotland.

The aim of this option is to encourage a wide range of habitats within moorland (including feeding and breeding sites for birds and animals), as well as a wide range of insects and plants. We will contribute to the cost of the changes in management practices for this.

This is a 5 year commitment. We will pay you £1 per hectare and will pay at the end of each year.

Requirements

• You must prepare and carry out a grazing plan for the moorland. The plan must be in place by the start of the scheme year (15 May)
• The plan will report on the current condition and management of the moorland and will highlight the changes you propose in shepherding, managing livestock and feeding practices in order to benefit the environment and wildlife;
• Use the moorland for agriculture livestock production;
• Agree to:
• maintain the current overall area of permanent pasture on your farm;
• maintain the stocking density on the permanent pasture on your farm below an agreed maximum; and
• do not overgraze or underuse any of that permanent pasture.
• Fill in Section 6 - management of permanent pasture declaration - of the application form ( LMCMS2).

In the requirements above, 'Moorland' means land with predominantly semi-natural upland vegetation or comprising predominantly rock outcrops and semi-natural upland vegetation, which is primarily used for rough grazing.

This option is not compatible with the RSS Moorland Management Plan.

Option 9 - Management of rush pasture

The aim of this option is to create and maintain a mosaic of rush and open pasture which will encourage a greater diversity and number of bird species. We will contribute to the cost of creating and maintaining mixtures of rushes and grassland at variable densities, and for opening up areas of dense rushes to provide a mixed rush and grassland habitat.

This is a 5 year commitment. We will pay £125 per hectare of land and we will pay at the end of each year.

Requirements

• You must manage areas of dense rushes (over 50%) by cutting each year and/or by grazing;
• Between August and March either; cut a minimum of one third and no more than two thirds of rushes in a random pattern to leave an open, variable mix of rushes and grass pasture; or graze to remove and thin rushes by a minimum of one third and no more than two thirds;
• If cutting you must cut close to the ground. If rushes are cut at half the stem height( for example, topped), this will have no effect on reducing tussock mass or vigour; and
• After cutting you can graze, or heavy roll the area.

Avoid heavy poaching because it damages soil structure and the sward and creates conditions for seedlings to grow.

In the requirements above, 'Rush pasture' means permanent pasture on poorly drained in-bye land that is periodically saturated with water and where extensive areas are dominated by soft rush and/or compact rush.

Areas with a significant presence of sharp flowered rush are excluded. Sharp flowered rush is often an indicator of more species rich wetlands.

Option 10 - Biodiversity cropping on in-bye

Photograph courtesy of Eric Bignal

The aim of this option is to increase the conservation value of arable land in Less-Favoured Areas ( LFAs) and to increase numbers of declining species of bird. We will pay you to carry out traditional crop rotations so you can provide cover and feeding areas for birds.

This is a 5 year commitment. We will pay you £40 per hectare of land or £150 per hectare if a cereal crop is harvested by binder and the stooks gathered into stacks. We will pay you at the end of each year. You can change the actual fields used but the number of hectares applied for in any year must be maintained for five years.

Requirements

You can only apply for arable land or improved grassland in the LFA. In-bye land means the part of a farm or croft other than hill and rough grazings. The bulk of this is to be used for arable and grassland production.

• Sow plots of spring cereals, fodder root crops or fodder rape each up to 2 hectares, and all plots should total no more than 4 hectares over the whole unit;
• Herbicides and insecticides must not be applied without the prior written agreement of your SEERAD area office. Normally, this consent will only be given to allow spot-treatment or the weed wiping of scheduled weeds (creeping, spear or field thistle, curled or broadleaved dock, and common ragwort) or invasive alien species ( e.g. Himalayan balsam, rhododendron and Japanese knotweed);
• After cropping, you must not plough or cultivate the area before 28 February of the following year.

Arable silage is not an eligible crop for this option for the following reasons:

• This type of crop tends to be thicker and it is therefore unsuitable for some bird species;
• Birds will be deprived of cover very much earlier in the year; and
• Autumn 'stubbles' and residual crop will not be there as a source of food for the birds over the autumn\winter period.

You must not adopt this option on an area of land which is in conversion under an Organic Aid Scheme conversion agreement.

Land receiving management payments under RSS and CPS is not eligible under this option.

Option 11 - Retention of winter stubbles

The aim of this option is to increase the number of birds that survive the winter and also to reduce erosive action and sediment loss from soils to watercourses over the winter months. We will contribute to the cost of providing feeding and breeding areas for seed-eating birds over winter.

This option runs for five years. We will pay £40 for every hectare at the end of each year. The number of hectares applied for in any year must be maintained for five years.

Requirements

• Retain stubbles from the harvest of spring sown cereals, protein or oilseed crops to provide cover and feeding for birds until the end of the following February. Because of this you must not plough or cultivate the area before 28 February;
• After 15 May and up to and including the last day of February each year herbicides must not be applied without the prior written agreement of your SEERAD area office. Normally, this consent will only be given to allow spot-treatment or the weed wiping of scheduled weeds (creeping, spear or field thistle, curled or broadleaved dock, and common ragwort) or invasive alien species ( e.g. Himalayan balsam, rhododendron and Japanese knotweed).

Arable silage is not an eligible crop for this option because autumn 'stubbles' and any remaining crop will not be there as a source of food for the birds over autumn and winter.

Each year you can change the location of your winter stubble but the amount applied for in any year must be maintained for five years.

You must not adopt this option on an area of land which is in conversion under an Organic Aid Scheme conversion agreement.

Land receiving management payments under RSS and CPS is not eligible under this option.

Option 12 - Wild bird seed mixture

The aim of this option is to create patches or plots of bird seed and bird cover, through sowing mixtures of seed-bearing crops, to benefit birds and invertebrates. It will also increase the number of suitable feeding areas for birds and have a positive impact for biodiversity. We will contribute to the cost of creating patches or plots of bird seed and bird cover, through sowing mixtures of seed-bearing crop groups. This type of crop will feed seed-eating birds when little food sources remain.

This option applies for five years. We will pay £329 a hectare. This option cannot be used on set-aside land. We will pay at the end of each year.

Requirements

• Sow a mixture of at least three seed bearing crop groups (for example a cereal, kale and quinoa) by 31 May. A "mixture" means either a seed mixture or alternate rows of the different crops;
• Sow in strips at least six metres wide at the edges of fields or in blocks no larger than 0.5 hectare;
• You should sow no more than 0.5 hectare on every 20 hectares;
• Re-sow at least every other year so you maintain seed production, do not plough for re-sowing before 15 March;
• Only apply fertiliser or manure if this is necessary for the establishment of the mixture;
• Only apply herbicides to spot-treat or weed-wipe for the control of injurious weeds (creeping, spear or field thistle, curled or broadleaved dock, and common ragwort) or invasive alien species ( e.g. Himalayan balsam, rhododendron and Japanese knotweed);

You may however use Glyphosate before spring re-sowing to help re-establishment;

• Do not apply any other pesticides; and
• Do not use the area for access, turning or storage, or grazing.

Seed-bearing crops are best sited close to hedgerows or other areas of cover.

This option cannot be adopted on an area of land which is in conversion under an Organic Aid Scheme ( OAS) (conversion) agreement or being maintained under an OAS (maintenance) agreement.

Land receiving management payments under RSS and CPS is not eligible under this option. This option cannot be adopted on an area of land set-aside under the SFPS.

Option 13 - Summer cattle grazing

Photograph courtesy of Quality Meat Scotland

This option aim s to give farmers supPhotograph courtesy of Quality Meat Scotlandport towards the cost of maintaining or restoring a balance between heather (or other dwarf shrubs) and the coarser moorland grasses which tend to become dominant under heavy sheep grazing and to improve the diversity of grassland communities.

Requirements

To be eligible for support, the following requirements must be met:

• You should turn cattle out onto unenclosed or hill land on or before 1 June, and keep them there for at least three months. For the purposes of the menu scheme, 'unenclosed' or 'hill land' is taken to be rough grazings;
• At least 1 bovine per 25 hectares should be turned out. Qualifying cattle must be at least six months of age at the start of this grazing period and can be either owned by or formally leased to you;
• Make sure that grazing is evenly distributed and that there are enough sheltered areas where the ground is firm and free-draining;
• This option could cover all or part of the unenclosed ground of the holding;
• Agree to retain the current overall area of permanent pasture on your farm; follow stocking limits on all the permanent pasture on your farm and not over-graze or under-utilise any of that pasture; and
• Fill in Section 6 of the application form - management of permanent pasture declaration.

The ideal grazing regime on this land should include both sheep and cattle. You may need to reduce the number of sheep in proportion to the number of cattle introduced to avoid damaging the land.

You will break good farming practice rules if you overgraze this land or any other rough or unimproved areas on your land. If you claim SFPS you should pay special attention to GAEC requirements for any areas of wetter ground or woodland, specifically those relating to overgrazing, trampling and supplementary feeding.

If you meet the requirements of this option, we will pay £1 for every hectare of land the cattle graze on for at least three months and we will make payments over five years, at the end of each year.

Option 14 - Nutrient management

This option aims to decrease diffuse pollution on in-bye improved land. We encourage farmers and crofters to match inorganic and organic fertiliser applications (including fym and slurry) to crop requirements.

If there is a watercourse (including ditches), spring or borehole in the field on which you are implementing nutrient management you must also adopt the buffer area measure (option 6) around these features unless the area is already being managed under an equivalent or more onerous regime i.e.RSS water margins.

This is a 5 year commitment. We will pay £2 per hectare at the end of each year.

Requirements

• Carry out soil testing in the selected field on a 3 to 5 year cycle to determine its soil pH, nutrient status ( i.e. phosphates(P) and potash(K)) and trace element levels ( e.g.magnesium);
• Calculate nutrient requirements of crops in selected field(s) i.e.nitrogen (N), P, K, and trace elements. This should take account of the soil analysis results, nutrients available from previous inputs and cropping history;

For N, follow the Scottish Agricultural College ( SAC) recommendations in the Technical Note T516 "Nitrogen recommendations for Cereals, Oilseed Rape and Potatoes". This also contains details on the availability of nitrogen from the application of livestock manure;

For P and K follow SAC Technical Note T308 "Removal by crops and P, K balance sheets";

Useful information on plant nutrition, soil fertility and fertiliser use is also available from the Potash Development Association (ref http://www.pda.org.uk);

• Keep records of the quantities of mineral fertiliser, farmyard manure and slurry applied to the field and when you applied it. This should take account of the levels of N, P and K contained in organic manures. Tables of typical values for total N, P and K (and potentially available P and K) in manure and slurry are available in the 4-Point Plan and the PEPFAA Code;
• Keep records of no-spread zones. For further guidance, you may wish to consult the 4-Point Plan (Ref: www.sac.ac.uk/4pp);
• Apply fertiliser at a time which will promote maximum nutrient uptake by the crop.
• If there is a watercourse (including ditches), spring or borehole in the field on which you are implementing nutrient management you must also adopt and claim the buffer area measure (option 6) around the watercourse, spring or borehole unless there are existing water margins managed under Agri-schemes or Type B set-aside strips.

The production of a simple Risk Assessment for Manure and Slurry ( RAMS) is an easy way to plan applications of manure and slurry whilst following good agricultural practice and reducing pollution risk. The 4-Point Plan provides guidance on the preparation of a RAMS.

Option 15 - Improving access

© George Logan/ SNH

The aim of this option is to provide and maintain access routes (paths) to help the public in exercising their rights under part 1 of the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003. Part 1 of the Act came into force in February 2005 and the public now have a right to walk, cycle and ride over most land in Scotland as long as they do so responsibly. We will contribute to your costs for identifying and maintaining continuous paths across your land. These routes should be suitable all year round for walkers and, if the surfaces are appropriate, for cyclists and horse riders.

Everyone has the right to be on most land and water for recreation, education and travel as long as they act responsibly. However, most people will prefer to use clear, identified paths. Marking and maintaining paths across farms will encourage local people and visitors to enjoy the countryside. By providing marked paths you can encourage the public to exercise their access rights in those areas where they are least likely to conflict with farming activity.

This option runs for five years. We will pay £2.75 for every metre of path. We may check the length of the path. All paths must be clearly signposted at entrance points, pointing to a destination and specifying distance. Signposts must meet the standard set out in Annex G or be acceptable to the local authority.

If you claim for the maintenance of paths we will also contribute to the one-off costs of certain capital items. We will pay 75% of costs for signposts, waymarkers, gates, stiles, bridges, and culverts (up to a maximum of £150 for each item). We may ask you to produce receipts for these costs. You must carry out path maintenance before you can claim for capital items.

On the menu scheme application form, fill in the length of the path you will maintain across your land. Also fill in the number and value of items you intend to claim refunds for. Fill in columns E and F in Section 4.

If the path goes through or alongside any of your land that is not registered with IACS you will need to fill in a land and business change form so we can find the path. The land and business change form is issued as part of the IACS pack.

Requirements

The path must meet at least one of the following design specifications and all the technical specifications.

You must inform your local authority (or national park authority in a national park) access officers when you are planning your path to help ensure that it will meet at least one of the design specifications set out below. Every effort should be made to integrate your paths into other local path networks. Local access officers can provide useful advice on existing and proposed local path networks.

Design specifications

The path should link to local networks, give access to points of attraction or meet a local need:

1. Link to local networks

The path should link with other routes at the boundaries of your land and form part of a wider network. If your path crosses a public road, consider road safety and perhaps talk to the local roads authority.

2. Give access to points of attraction

The path should provide reasonably direct access across your land but give access to features of interest such as viewpoints and lochs. You should also consider areas of cultural interest.

3. Meet a local need

If the path is not connected to a wider network and does not give access to points of attraction, you must prove that it serves some other clear purpose or meets a local need.

Technical specifications

The path must be well-drained, fit for its intended purpose, free from obstructions, signposted and regularly maintained: The specifications are detailed in Annex G (local recognised standards are also acceptable).

1. Well-drained

The path should stay firm and dry in all weather conditions. After heavy rain, water should drain away quickly without damaging the path. To achieve this, good drainage is the key.

2. Fit for purpose

The path's surface should be suitable for the type and amount of use it has to support. Surfaces can range from trodden grass to asphalt. No one path surface fits all purposes - the main point to remember is that the path must be suitable for its intended use.

3. Free of obstructions

You may need to include gates, steps, bridges or culverts in order to cross boundaries, keep the route out of water or divert it around difficult ground, and clear a path through vegetation. The route will usually cross boundaries, which may include fences, walls, hedges, watercourses or rock outcrops.

Use gates rather than stiles, as these are more accessible. The two basic types of gate in general use are the wicket gate and the kissing gate. The wicket gate can be used by most but cyclists are restricted from using (and horse riders cannot use) the kissing gate.

4. Signposted and waymarked

Paths should be clearly signposted at entrance points, showing distances to significant points. If the path starting point is not at the public highway the path should be signposted from the public highway. There should be waymarkers along the path to help users keep to the route.

5. Regularly maintained

A well-planned and well-designed route needs less maintenance. You will need to manage vegetation at certain times of the year. You can reduce the amount of weed on paths by regularly mowing verges. You can drain persistent wet ground by installing filter drains or small ditches.

You must prepare a sketch map which clearly shows the location of the path you propose to manage and the location and type of items for example gates you are claiming funding for. Keep this map safe as you must be able to show it to us. You must also send a copy of the map to your Local Access Officer. Do not send it to us with your application form.

Option 16 - Farm woodland planning

This option aims for an integrated approach to the planning of woodland management on farms and to identify opportunities for the expansion of woodland. We will contribute to the production of a Farm Woodland Plan ( FWP). Your plan will help you identify opportunities for applying to the Scottish Forestry Grant Scheme ( SFGS) and will help you join that scheme.

We will normally pay for 1 to 30 hectares per holding. The one hectare can be made up of several areas of at least 0.1 hectares. If your native woodland or IACS registered forage open woodland is more than 30 hectares, we will pay for all of this. If you have 30 hectares or more of native woodland or IACS registered forage open woodland you cannot claim for non-native woodland.

Native woodland must comprise of at least 50% of trees of native species. See Annex I2 for a list of trees and codes.

We will pay £10 for each hectare. If the total area of your woodland is 15 hectares or less and you are entering it all into Farm Woodland Management (option 17) we will pay you a minimum total grant of £150.

We will pay you at the end of the scheme year, after we have received and approved your plan.

On the menu scheme application form, fill in the area of woodland that your plan will cover. Also fill in the location and size of each parcel you intend to claim for by completing the Field Data Sheets supplied with the Single Application Form in the IACS pack.

If the woodland is not on IACS registered land you will need to fill in a Land and Business Change Form to allow us to allocate a field identifier to these parcels of land. The Land and Business Change Form is issued as part of the IACS pack.

Requirements

• Your plan must assess the condition of all existing woodlands on your holding that are owned or form part of a tenancy agreement. The plan should identify work needed to manage the woodland to the standard for Sustainable Farm Woodland Management (Annex H). It will identify individual or groups of woods suitable for entry into Farm Woodland Management (option 17). You need to have a Farm Woodland Plan ( FWP) to be able to take up option 17;
• Your plan will help you to identify opportunities for applying to the Scottish Forestry Grant Scheme ( SFGS) and will assist with entry to this;
• Your plan must use the Farm Woodland Plan Template (Annex I). You may need to use more than one template if your woodland is varied in type and structure or because only selected woods are to be entered into option 17. If you do this, each template should refer to identifiable individual or groups of woods annotated on an accompanying map;
• Your plan should include a copy of a 1:10,000 map, showing the boundary of your holding and all woodland within it. Please annotate the map with specific information on the woodland and specific work identified in the farm woodland plan (Annex I).

You will need to send the plan to SEERAD by 15 August 2006. We will let you know if the plan does not meet the requirements of the option.

Inspections

When we receive a completed farm woodland plan, we will send a copy to Forestry Commission Scotland ( FCS) for their comments. If FCS need to visit the woodlands in order to assess your plan, an officer will contact you to arrange the visit.

Non-compliance

A plan will be deemed as non-compliant if it is not:

• representative of the woodland;
• appropriate to the woodland condition;
• an accurate account of the work requirements of managing to the standard for Sustainable Farm Woodland Management (Annex H).

Option 17 - Farm woodland management ( FWM)

This option aims to see all eligible woods under active management to increase their value as part of the farm business and the farmed landscape.

This option runs for five years. We will pay you at the end of each scheme year as long as your Farm Woodland Plan (option 16) meets the requirements whether agreed last year or submitted for approval this year. You must send us your plan by 15 August 2006.

We will normally pay for a minimum of 1 hectare and up to 30 hectares per holding at £30 per hectare. However, if your native woodland or IACS registered forage open woodland is more than 30 hectares, we will pay for all of this at £30 per hectare. If you have only one hectare, this hectare may be made up of several areas of at least 0.1 hectares.

On the menu scheme application form, fill in the area of woodland that your plan will cover. Also fill in the location and size of each parcel you intend to claim for by filling in the Field Data Sheet.

If the woodland is not on IACS registered land you will need to complete a land and business change form to allow us to allocate a field identifier to these parcels of land. The land and business change form is issued as part of the IACS pack.

Requirements

You must:

• Have an approved Farm Woodland Plan (option 16) or be applying for one. This plan must identify the individual or group of woods to be entered into this option;
• Keep woodland entered into this option in line with the standard for Sustainable Farm Woodland Management ( see Annex H);
• Make sure any work you have done is consistent with your farm woodland plan; and
• Woodland must be owned or form part of a tenancy agreement.

You should not use this option for individual woods that are currently in the Woodland Grant Scheme ( WGS), Scottish Forestry Grant Scheme ( SFGS) or Rural Stewardship Scheme ( RSS).

General Scheme Requirements

The following table summarises the requirements of each option and the standards you have to meet.

Table of requirements

The requirements of some options must be met within a year, others you need to commit to for five years.

Land Ownership and Control

1) If you are a landlord, you can only apply for land that you let out on a seasonal basis. If you let out any of the land included in an option on a seasonal basis, you will be responsible for making sure the requirements are met on that land.

2) If you are a tenant or contractual licensee, you must discuss the proposed application with your landlord to make sure it does not break the conditions of your tenancy or licence.

3) If you have a tenancy or licence with less than five years to run, you will have to make a joint application with your landlord or the land owner if you wish to undertake agri-environment, forestry or access options. The landowner must fill in and sign the declaration in Section 1 of the Menu Scheme application form to confirm that they will make sure your commitments under any 5 year options would continue to be met if you stopped having control over the land during the five years of your agreement.

4) You cannot apply for options on seasonal let land, including arable, if your lease for the grazing or mowing is for a period of 364 days or less. This means that your seasonal grazing can be part of your holding calculation but it is not an eligible area for Menu Scheme options.

You must meet standards for good farming practice this includes good animal husbandry and good general environmental conditions. These standards apply over the whole area of your holding and are set out in Annex J.

Conservation or management agreement

If you want to take up an option on land in a 'Site of Special Scientific Interest' or Natura site, you must meet the conditions set out in your management agreement and get any permission you need for specific activities before you apply to us.

Scheduled monuments are protected by law. If you plan to carry out any works on a scheduled monument, you must obtain scheduled monument consent ( SMC) in advance. Contact Historic Scotland for advice before making your Menu Scheme application. You can get advice and SMC from:

Historic Scotland
Longmore House
Salisbury Place
Edinburgh
EH9 1SH
Phone: 0131 668 8777
E-mail hs-farming@scotland.gsi.gov.uk

Or you can speak to your local monument warden who may have visited you recently.

You should apply for SMC as early as possible and by 15 May at the latest. SMC applications will be dealt with as quickly as possible, normally within nine weeks. You should have either a letter from Historic Scotland granting SMC, or written advice from them saying that you do not need SMC, before starting any option affecting land containing a scheduled monument.

Keep any written permission you receive as we will need to see this during an inspection. Do not send it to us with your application.

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