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SMALL UNITS
(a) Conservation Management Plan with Special Measures for Small Units (Tier 3)
Objectives
To encourage a mosaic of habitats of conservation value across the whole unit including apportionments by implementation of a management plan. Within the Crofting Counties to encourage a community effort by means of a management plan, to maintain or enhance areas of conservation interest within the boundary of a crofting community.
Scope and actions
Implementation of a detailed Conservation Management Plan for the whole unit ( i.e. entire in-bye and any apportionments.
The Plan must:
- Set out clear environmental objectives; and
- Explain the management to be undertaken to achieve these objectives by addressing all areas of activity on the unit ( i.e. grazing management, winter feed production, cropping, farm livestock management, management of special habitats/features etc. including BAP habitats and species, pollution control).
Collective applications
Four or more current applications to adopt this option from the same crofting community will be deemed to be part of a collective application and be eligible for the premium rate of payment.
Collaborative approach
Within Crofting Counties, a submission that is one of at least 4 applications from the same crofting community will be deemed to be part of a collective application. This is desirable.
Description and justification of the different types of commitments, based on their expected environmental impact in relation to environmental needs and priorities
To encourage a mosaic of habitats of conservation value across small units and within the crofting counties encourage community effort, through a management plan to maintain or enhance areas of conservation interest within the boundary of the crofting community.
Geographical targeting
Units with in-bye amounting to no more than 20 hectares on entry to the Scheme (excluding any apportionments, house and steading).
Amounts of support
The payment rate has been calculated on the basis of additional cost and income forgone from the commitment made. Hectarage limits apply.
Payment Rate: £25/ha plus fixed sum of £180.
Payment rate Premium: £25/ha plus fixed sum of £275.
(b) Retention or introduction of cattle of native or traditional breeds (Tier 3)
Objectives
In combination with prescription for Conservation management plan with special measures for small units, to encourage a mosaic of habitats with conservation value across the whole unit including apportionments or, on non-croft land, rough grazings extending to less than 10 hectares, by means of a management plan and the appropriate management of Scottish cattle of native or traditional breed(s), providing significant benefits for both the natural heritage, landscape and local economy.
Scope and actions
- Option 1: The unit supports two or more breeding cows of Scottish traditional or native breed(s) on entry into this Scheme and will continue to do so for the lifetime of the agreement; or
- Option 2: On application to join the Scheme, the business either does not have a herd of breeding cows or the existing herd has only one or no dams of either purebred or first cross native or traditional stock and the unit will run two or more breeding cows or heifers of traditional or native breed(s) by the end of the first plan year, with the heifers to calve down by the end of the second Plan year. If the Scottish Executive deem it necessary to achieve sustainable stocking levels and ensure that Scheme objectives are not frustrated, the numbers of any sheep on the unit must be reduced. You will be eligible for the premium rate of payment if you are able to adopt this option.
What is a breeding cow?
In order to be considered a breeding cow, the cow must form part of a herd either used for rearing calves for meat production or used for milk production and have borne a calf.
Which breeds of cow are acceptable under this Scheme option?
Any of the following Scottish native and traditional breeds:
- Aberdeen Angus
- Ayrshire
- Belted Galloway
- Galloway
- Highland
- Luing
- Shetland
- Shorthorn
- First crosses of these native breeds. The use of a continental bull across the herd is permitted.
Description and justification of the different types of commitments, based on their expected environmental impact in relation to environmental needs and priorities
To encourage the creation of mosaics by using cattle of traditional or native breeds as a grazing management tool, providing significant benefits for both the natural heritage, landscape and the local economy.
Geographical targeting
Units with in-bye accounting to no more than 20 hectares on entry to the Scheme and any apportionments but excluding any share in the common grazings.
Amounts of support
The payment rate has been calculated on the basis of additional cost and income forgone from the commitment made. Hectarage limits apply.
Payment Rate: Introduction of cattle £273/ha
Payment Rate: Retention of cattle £185/ha
Financing
Total Public Support for Measure 214: 483.3 M Euro
Total EU Support for Measure 214: 130.9M Euro
Measure Code 214: Agri-environment payments |
|---|
Indicator Type | Indicator | Indicative Target |
|---|
Baseline |
Objective 17 | - Biodiversity: index of population of farmland birds | In progress |
Objective 18 | - Biodiversity: high nature value farmland and forestry [% of land under farmland, woodland, urban, other] | In progress |
Objective 20 | - Water quality [sites with orthophosphate concentrations < 0.25 _g P/l.] | 59.3% |
Objective 24,26 | - Climate change:[area under renewable energy from agriculture; emissions from agriculture] | 9,600 hectares; 7.275 Mt of CO2 equivalent |
Objective 22,23 | - Soil : areas at risk of soil erosion, organic farming [Area under organic conversion and maintenance] | 270,800 hectares |
Input | - Amount of public expenditure (total) | €483m |
Output | - Number of farm holdings and holdings of other land managers receiving support (division according to the beneficiary and the age of the commitment) | 4,500 holdings |
- Total area under agri-environmental support (division according to the beneficiaries, the age and type of the commitment) | 2,000,000 hectares |
- Total number of contracts (division according to the beneficiaries, the age and type of the commitment) | 6,500 commitments |
- Physical area under agri-environmental support (under this measure) | 20,000 hectares, |
- Number of actions related to genetic resources (division according to the type of action -targeted or concerted actions ) | N/A |
Result | - Areas under successful land management contributing to : | 100,000 hectares |
- improvement of biodiversity |
- improvement of water quality |
- mitigating climate change |
- improvement of soil quality |
- avoidance of marginalization and land abandonment |
Additional Result | - Number of BAP species | No targets set. |
- Use of pesticides and fertilisers |
Impact | - Reversal in biodiversity decline | Improve. Maintain. |
- Maintenance of High Nature Value farmland and forestry | Improve. |
- Improvement in water quality | Contribute. |
- Contribution to combating climatic change | No specific targets set. |
Additional Impact | - Bringing the special features of designated nature conservation sites, including all the Natura Network, into favourable condition | 80% by 2008
95% by 2010 |
- Safeguarding the sensitive aspects of landscape character. | No target set. |
Additional evaluation question | - To what extent have farmer attitudes to agri-environment measures changed? | N/A |
N/A = Not applicable for this measure
# All impact indicators will be estimated based on output and result indicators. Quantitative data will be supplemented by qualitative judgement on change. Biodiversity: As measured by farmland bird species population, complemented by additional data on other species. High nature value farmland: Indicator is not developed. The alternative indicator to be used is % of land cover under farmland, woodland, urban, other. Water Quality: Gross nutrient balances will be measured at a sample of farms. Supplemented by information on nitrates and phosphates. Climate change: Increases in production of renewable energy will be supplemented where appropriate with information on net carbon savings.
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