NFU Briefing
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Contact:
Gail Soutar
Tel:
02476858542
Greening – 3 crop diversification
Introduction
One of the 3 greening requirements agreed at the European level is for farmers to undertake crop
diversification on their arable land. This differs from crop rotation as the greening requirements are part
of an annual scheme and therefore the requirements relate to what happens in the claim year, as
opposed to over the duration of past or future years.
Definitions
 Arable land means land cultivated for crop production or areas available for crop production but
lying fallow.
o This covers land used for normal arable / combinable crops / vegetable land,
multiannual fruits as well as temporary grass (i.e. land under grass for less than 5 years)
and land lying fallow.
 A crop shall mean a culture of any of the different genera defined in the botanical classification
of crops, or a culture of any species in the case of Brassicas, Solanaceae and Cucurbitaceae.
As well as land lying fallow and grasses or herbaceous forage. Winter crop and Spring crop
shall be considered to be distinct crops even if they belong to the same genus.
o This means for example that spring wheat, winter wheat, spring barley, winter barley,
oats, rape, cabbage, turnip, potato and temporary grass would all be treated as different
crops.
 Holding means all of the units used for agricultural activities and managed by a farmer within the
same member state
o This means the requirement is across the units comprising the Single Business Indicator
(SBI)
 Grasses and herbaceous forage means all herbaceous plants traditionally found in natural
pastures or normally included in mixtures of seeds for pastures
Requirement
 Where the arable land covers between 10 and 30ha, there shall be at least 2 different crops on
that arable land. The main crop shall not cover more than 75% of that arable land.

Where the arable land covers more than 30ha, there shall be at least 3 different corps on that
arable land. The main crop shall not cover more than 75% of that arable land and the two main
crops together shall not cover more than 95% of that arable land.
Small print (still to be agreed)
 The requirements for different shares of crops will have to be fulfilled during the most relevant
part of the cultivation period taking into consideration national cultivation practices. Member
States will inform farmers of this period.
o This means that farmers would make a declaration following the requirements as at 16 th
May and then the requisite number of crops (or fallow land) would have to be present for
inspection at a period of time to be determined by Defra.
 Within the total arable land of the holding, each hectare shall be taken into account only once in
one claim year.
 Areas covered with mixed crops as a result of the sowing of a seed mixture shall, irrespective of
the specific crops in the mix, will be considered as one single crop. Under sown crops, shall also
be considered as one crop on that land parcel.
The voice of British farming
Although every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, neither the NFU
nor the author can accept liability for errors and or omissions. © NFU
Department Name/NFU Briefing/Sept ’11/draft
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NFU Briefing
Exemptions
The requirements shall not apply:

If the arable land is < 10ha

Where more than 75% of the arable land is used for production of grass or other herbaceous
forage, land lying fallow or a combination of these uses, provided the remaining arable land not
covered by these uses does not exceed 30ha. If the remaining land is more than 30ha then
the maximum crop percentage will not apply – in this case the principle crop on the remainder
of the arable shall not cover more than 75% of the remaining arable land.

Where more than 75% of the eligible agricultural area is permanent grassland, used for grass
production or other herbaceous forage, provided the remainder of the arable land does not
exceed 30ha

Where more than 50% of the areas under arable land declared were not declared by the farmer
in his aid application the previous year, and where based on a comparison of geo-spatial aid
applications, all arable land is being cultivated with a different crop compared to that of the
previous year.
The voice of British farming
Although every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, neither the NFU
nor the author can accept liability for errors and or omissions. © NFU
Department Name/NFU Briefing/Sept ’11/draft