Statutory Instruments of the Scottish Parliament

(a) has at least 4 livestock units entered on the single application;

(b) takes at least the actions described in activity (i) below.

    (3) Activities (ii) to (v) below are optional.

    (4) Activities (ii), (iii)(b) and (c) and (iv) below can be taken each scheme year and activities (iii)(a) and (v) can only be taken once in the 5 years of the commitment.

    (5) This Menu Option has the following activity elements for eligibility-

(i) Animal health and welfare programme

(a) develop, by 1st December of the scheme year, following discussions with a veterinary surgeon, and implement by the end of that scheme year, a proactive scheme for treating animal diseases, including guidance on following a veterinary surgeon's advice and treatment, including details of first and second lines of treatment, individual dosage instructions and withdrawal periods for each treatment, as agreed with the veterinary surgeon; and

(b) develop and implement a scheme for using vaccines and preventative medicines, including details of the vaccines or preventative medicines to be used, and individual dosage instructions and withdrawal periods for each vaccine or preventative medicine.

(a) carry out additional inspections of animals to record performance indicators and the numbers of occurrences of disease symptoms in the animal population which are pre determined objective measurements; and

(b) together with a veterinary surgeon, make and record comparisons between the applicant's enterprise and others across the veterinary practice area, the local government area or across Scotland.

(a) on the advice of a veterinary surgeon undertake sampling such as blood testing to identify diseases or conditions such as twin lamb disease or copper deficiency, which may be present on the farm having a negative impact on animal health and welfare; and

(b) take informed control measures to address such diseases or conditions.

(a) participates in a quality assurance or organic scheme which is certified to EN45011 standard by 1st February 2006; and

(b) is a member of that quality assurance or organic scheme on 16th May 2005 and 16th January 2006.

(a) full time or part time education in a secondary school, Further Education College or Higher Education establishment;

(b) a course required by law to permit persons to carry out their basic work activities; or

(c) funded, in whole or in part, by other public funds.

(a) increase public awareness of land management;

(b) provide active educational experience for children and young people; or

(c) contribute to a better understanding of the contribution land managers make to their local community and the local environment.

    (2) The applicant under this Menu Option must:

(a) have sufficient public liability insurance to receive visitors onto a farm or woodland (or both) in relation to the type of visits undertaken;

(b) comply with obligations under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974[26]; and

(c) prepare a Risk Assessment and a Farm or Woodland Information Pack (or both) in relation to the types of visit undertaken, in accordance with guidance approved by the Scottish Ministers.

(a) increase public awareness of land management; or

(b) contribute to a better understanding of the contribution land managers make to their local community and the local environment.

    (2) The applicant under this Menu Option must prepare a Farm or Woodland Information Pack (or both) in accordance with guidance, approved by the Scottish Ministers.

(a) establishes a 3 metre to 6 metre wide buffer area which may be in arable fields, on improved grassland along watercourses, around areas of wetland, species rich grassland, woodland or archaeological sites;

(b) prepares a sketch map showing the location of the proposed buffer area;

(c) does not cultivate the buffer area, nor apply fertiliser, manure or pesticides to it;

(d) does not use the buffer area for supplementary feeding of stock; and

(e) in the case of prominent, individual in field and ancient trees on the landscape establishes a buffer area reaching at least the length of the canopy, leaves fallen timber in the buffer area, and if the tree falls, replaces it but leaves the deadwood in the buffer area.

    (3) The applicant may in the buffer area-

(a) cut and control scrub, where necessary to meet the standards of good agricultural and environmental condition under regulation 4 of the Common Agricultural Policy Single Payment and Support Schemes (Cross-Compliance) (Scotland) Regulations 2004[27]; and

(b) graze animals so long as this does not cause environmental damage.

    (4) For applicants carrying out Nutrient management (as specified in Menu Option 14) in fields with a watercourse, spring or borehole, a buffer area must be established alongside the watercourse, spring or borehole.

(a) prepares a sketch map showing at the date of the application for aid the location of the linear features proposed to be managed under this Menu Option;

(b) where the linear feature is also a property boundary, has gained the written consent of the owner or tenant of the neighbouring property for an application under this Menu Option; and

(c) carries out at least one of the activities (i) to (iii) below.

    (3) This Menu Option has the following activity elements for eligibility-

(a) cut both sides of the hedges no more than every third year, with no more than one third of the hedges and trees shown on the sketch map prepared cut in any one year;

(b) manage hedges over several years to be at least 1.5 metres tall and at least 2 metres wide at the base, in an A frame shape;

(c) only cut hedges and coppice, pollard or lop hedgerow trees between 1st December and 1st March; and

(d) plant native species to fill in gaps in hedges.

(a) clear ditches no more than every third year; with no more than one third of the ditches shown on the sketch map prepared cleared in any one year;

(b) only clear ditches and cut bankside vegetation between 1st September and 31st January;

(c) only cut vegetation, clear and re profile on one side of a ditch on any occasion;

(d) where possible, give banks shallow sloping sides (of 10o or less from the horizontal), to encourage plant diversity and to benefit waders and other bird species;

(e) where possible, work from the lowest part of the ditch upstream; and

(f) spread and level spoil across the field and not mound it on the bank.

(a) repair and reinstate deteriorated and damaged drystone walls; and

(b) replace coping and minor damage, including collapsed sections of wall less than 2 metres long.

(a) prepares and carries out a grazing plan for the moorland which reports on the current condition and existing management of the moorland and specifies changes proposed in shepherding, stock management and feeding practices to benefit conservation interests;

(b) uses the moorland for agricultural livestock production; and

(c) retains the existing overall area of permanent pasture contained on any farm or croft on the applicant's eligible land, follows stocking limits on all the permanent pasture on that land and does not overgraze or under utilise any of that grassland.

(a) manages areas of dense rushes (that is, areas of rush pasture which are over 50% rushes) by annual grazing or cutting (or both); and

(b) between 1st August and 31st March, either grazes cattle to remove and thin rushes by a maximum of two thirds or cuts a maximum of two thirds of the rushes in random patterns, in order to leave an open, variable mix of rushes and grass pasture.

(a) only applies in respect of land in the Less Favoured Area which is classified as disadvantaged or severely disadvantaged;

(b) sows plots of spring cereals, fodder root crops or fodder rape up to a maximum of 2 hectares of each crop and which crops in total comprise no more than 4 hectares;

(c) does not apply herbicides or insecticides without the prior written consent of the Scottish Ministers;

(d) does not, after cropping, plough or cultivate the area before 28th February in the following calendar year; and

(e) does not receive any payment under an agri-environment scheme during the scheme year for the same area of land but excluding any payment made under Menu Option 14 (Nutrient management).

(a) retains stubbles from the harvest of spring sown cereals, protein or oilseed crops until the end of the following February;

(b) does not plough or cultivate the area before the end of the following February;

(c) does not apply herbicides without the prior written consent of the Scottish Ministers; and

(d) does not receive any payment under an agri-environment scheme during the scheme year for the same area of land but excluding any payment made under Menu Option 14 (Nutrient management).

(a) sows a mixture (that is, either a seed mixture or alternate rows of the different crops) of at least 3 seed bearing crops;

(b) sows in strips which are at least 6 metres wide at the edges of fields or in blocks (or in both strips and blocks) not exceeding 0.5 hectares per individual strip or block and there must be no more than 0.5 hectares sown per 20 hectares of eligible land on the farm or croft;

(c) re sows at least every other year so as to maintain seed production;

(d) only applies fertiliser or manure if this is necessary for establishment of the growing of the seed mixture;

(e) only applies herbicides to spot treat or weed wipe for the control of injurious weeds or invasive alien species, except that Glyphosate may be used before spring re sowing to help re establishment;

(f) does not apply any other pesticides;

(g) does not use the area for access, turning, storage or grazing; and

(h) does not receive any payment under an agri-environment scheme during the scheme year for the same area of land but excluding any payment made under Menu Option 14 (Nutrient management).

(a) turns cattle out onto identified unenclosed or hill land on or before 1st June and keeps them there until after 31st August;

(b) ensures that grazing is evenly distributed and that there are adequate sheltered areas where the ground is firm and free draining;

(c) ensures that there is at least one bovine per 25 hectares of identified unenclosed or hill land;

(d) ensures that the cattle are-


(i) at least 6 months of age at the start of that grazing period; and

(ii) owner or leased under a written lease; and



(e) retains the existing overall area of permanent pasture contained on any farm or croft on the applicant's eligible land, follows stocking limits on all the permanent grassland on that land and does not overgraze or under utilise any of that grassland.

(a) carries out soil testing in the field to find out its pH, nutrient status and trace element levels;

(b) assesses nutrient requirements dependent on soil analysis and cropping;

(c) keeps records of no spread zones including areas of steep slopes, free draining sandy soils, unimproved land, flood risk and waterlogged areas;

(d) applies fertiliser at a time which will promote maximum nutrient uptake by the crop;

(e) keeps records of substances applied to the field; and

(f) maintains a buffer area (as specified in Menu Option 6) around any watercourse, spring or borehole in the field on which nutrient management is being conducted.

(a) identifies a path with reasonably direct access across the land;

(b) considers road safety issues if a path crosses a public road;

(c) ensures that the minimum width of the path is 1.2 metres;

(d) provides use direction signs (or 'finger' posts) to point to the destination and the distance to that destination with a sign at the start of the identified route of all paths or at an appropriate entrance point;

(e) installs waymarkers at the start of the route at a convenient point of entry;

(f) provides where necessary gates, stiles, steps, bridges or culverts to keep the route out of water, divert it around difficult ground or clear a path through vegetation;

(g) regularly maintains the path;

(h) manages vegetation on and around the path at certain times of the year; and

(i) prepares a sketch map showing the location of the path proposed to be managed and the location and type of capital items.

(a) assess the condition of all existing owned woodlands on the land;

(b) identify work needed to manage the woodlands to the standard for Sustainable Farm Woodland Management;

(c) identify those individual woods or groups of woods suitable for entry into Farm Woodland Management (as specified in Menu Option 17);

(d) include a copy of a 1:10,000 map, showing the location of the applicant's holding and all woodland within it; and

(e) be submitted to the Scottish Ministers by 15th August 2005 and approved or rejected by them within 2 months of its receipt.

    (3) The standard for Sustainable Farm Woodland Management, as mentioned in sub-paragraph (2)(b) above, is-

(a) managing the woodlands consistently with the objectives and work set out in the FWP;

(b) providing adequate protection measures to prevent domestic stock and wild animals significantly damaging trees within the woodland, including damage to the ongoing development of natural regeneration in native woodland but excluding managed grazing which is necessary and has been approved by the Scottish Ministers in order to achieve specific biodiversity objectives identified in the FWP;

(c) preventing any non-native vegetation, within the canopy or shrub layers of native woodland, which pose a significant threat to the condition of that native woodland;

(d) ensuring that operations in and around woodlands do not have a significant adverse impact on habitats and species of national or regional importance or on features of cultural importance, as identified by the Scottish Ministers;

(e) managing woodlands, identified by the Scottish Ministers as important for the character of the landscape, so as to maintain their landscape significance;

(f) managing public access through the woodlands in accordance with the Scottish Outdoor Access Code; and

(g) keeping, so far as possible, woodlands free of inappropriate materials and waste, that adversely affect the natural environment.

(a) if the applicant's native woodland or woodland declared in the single application as forage open woodland is more than 30 such hectares, the additional hectares receive £10 per hectare per scheme year; or

(b) if the total area of woodland on the holding is 15 hectares or less and the applicant enters it all into Farm Woodland Management (as specified in Menu Option 17) a minimum of £150 per scheme year will be paid.

(a) has an approved FWP (as specified in Menu Option 16) or is applying for one;

(b) keeps woodland in accordance with the standard for Sustainable Farm Woodland Management as specified in Menu Option 16(3);

(c) ensures that any work conducted is consistent with the FWP; and

(d) does not receive any payment under the Farm Woodland Scheme 1988[28], the Farm Woodland Premium Scheme 1992[29], the Farm Woodland Premium Scheme 1997[30], the Rural Stewardship Scheme (Scotland) Regulations 2001[31] or the SFGS Farmland Scheme 2003[32] during the scheme year for the same individual woods.