Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) – Greening Ecological Focus Areas (EFAs) on arable land:
Where arable land is more than 15 hectares, applicants must have an EFA. There are five different options to choose from which can be mixed and matched to make up to 5%, but they must feature on or next to arable land. Each option has different weightings (according to the perceived environmental benefit) and different management obligations.
What counts as an ecological focus area (EFA)? The following features and areas can count as EFAs:
• Buffer strips • Catch crops • Cover crops • Nitrogen-fixing crops • Fallow land • Hedges Catch and Cover Crop Options: Must contain two different crops – one cereal, one non cereal from the list: • Phacelia • Mustard • Lucerne • Oil radish Catch crops must be established by 20 st Aug 2018 and retained until 14 st October 2018. Cover crops must be established by 1 st Oct 2018 and retained until 15 th Jan 2019. Grass can be counted as either – but must have been under sown in the previous crop, and must be visible and provide enough ground cover by the start of the period. Other crops that are usually grazed i.e. Kale or stubble turnips, do not count as part of EFA. Wild bird seed mixes or pollen/nectar sources can be sown in the EFA Fallow period. EFA Cereal: • Rye • Barley • Oats Non Cereal: • Vetch
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