Updates to guidance

On this page, we'll log any changes to our scheme and inspections guidance.

New Entrants Start-up grant and Young Farmers Start-up grant - 31 December, 2016

We've updated the guidance for both scheme with information regarding the 2017 funding round.

Young Farmers Start-up grant

New Entrants Start-up grant

Agri-environment Climate Scheme - 24 December, 2016

We’ve updated the supporting guidance for Creation of species rich grassland to provide more information on when existing cover should be removed, more detail on grazing and clarification over when yellow rattle should be sown.

Supporting guidance for creation of species rich grassland

We’ve updated the guidance for Farm Environment Assessment to add Upland Habitat Impact Assessment for deer management to the list of options that do not need a Farm Environment Assessment.

Additionally, Organic applications and Upland Habitat Impact Assessment for deer management have been added to the list of options that do not require a diffuse pollution-based risk assessment.

Further information for those applying either as a single crofter who has a common grazing apportionment (or designated crop area), or as a grazing committee has also been added in. We have updated the Farm Environment Map templates.

We have also added a clarification that diffuse pollution risks must be individual numbered on the map and added to the associated table.

Farm Environment Assessment

We’ve updated the guidance for Endorsements to advise that an endorsement must be obtained before submitting and application to this scheme. We’ve also updated and clarified the criteria for an endorsement outside the target area for two of the listed management options.

Endorsements

We’ve updated the guidance for Wader and wildlife mown grassland to add some extra information to say it may be possible to apply for this option outside the target area.

Wader and wildlife mown grassland

We’ve updated the guidance for Coastal embankment breaching, lowering or removal to remove advice that the option may be available outside of the targeted area.

Coastal embankment breaching, lowering or removal

We’ve updated the Moorland management guidance to advise that it may be possible to apply for this option out-with the target area.

Moorland management

We’ve updated the supporting guidance for Wetland management to add some additional text advising that the creation option cannot be claimed on rough grazing and clarification over the payment rate.

Supporting guidance for wetland management

We’ve updated the supporting guidance for Water margins in arable fields and Water margins in grassland fields to clarify that the water margin management options can only be claimed on land eligible for the Basic Payment Scheme. We’ve also added further text to clarify how to record your water margin and under what circumstances it is permissible not to cut or graze a water margin.

Supporting guidance for water margins in arable fields and water margins in grassland fields

Beef Efficiency Scheme - 24 December, 2016

We’ve updated this guidance to make various changes. The main updates include the addition and amendment of some key deadlines for applicants, some tightening of wording around requirements for data capture and information on claiming through your Single Application Form. For all of the changes, please check the guidance page.

Beef Efficiency Scheme

Cross Compliance - 23 December, 2016

Within the ‘You must’ section, we’ve made changes to point three and deleted the previous points six and seven, relating to producing and using a valid passport. The new point six now includes notifications via ScotMoves and changes have also been made to point 10, in relation to timescales for recording movements in your herd register. Also, within the ‘You must not’ section, point three has been removed in relation to altering or defacing a cattle passport.

Statutory Management Requirement 7 - Cattle identification and registration

Scottish Suckler Beef Support Scheme - 22 December, 2016

We've updated this guidance to include more information on duel breeds.

Scottish Suckler Beef Support Scheme

Forestry Grant Scheme - 16 December, 2016

We've updated the Woodland grazing management plan guidance to include a clarification that permission must be sought from Scottish Natural Heritage for designated sites or national scenic areas.

Woodland grazing management plan

Croft House Grant - 14 December, 2016

We've made various minor updates to this scheme guidance. Please check the guidance for full details.

Croft House Grant

Agri-environment Climate Scheme - 12 December, 2016

We've updated the supporting guidance for post and tree rail guards to include an additional requirement for wired mesh secured behind the rails when grazing sheep or goats. We have also removed the table which shows the type of construction needed depending on the type of grazing.

Guidance for post and tree rail guards

We’ve updated the supporting guidance for Forage Brassica Crops for Farmland Birds to clarify that the option helps to provide habitat diversity in the wider countryside - in place of ‘pastoral landscapes’

Forage Brassica

Agri-environment Climate Scheme - 11 December, 2016

We've updated the supporting guidance for Wild bird seed for farmland birds to include an additional requirement when establishing the crop.

Guidance for wild bird seed for farmland birds

We've updated the supporting guidance for Stubbles with green manure to clarify the period the green manure crop must be maintained and include information about the hectarage limit.

Guidance for stubbles followed by green manure in arable rotation

Forestry Grant Scheme - 11 December, 2016

We've updated the guidance for Harvesting and processing with more detail on eligible equipment.

Harvesting and processing

Agri-environment Climate Scheme - 10 December, 2016

We've updated the supporting guidance for Cattle management on small units to add an extra requirement regarding cattle introduced during a previous AECS period

Supporting guidance for cattle management on small units

We've updated the supporting guidance for Conservation management of small units to add in information about options that can be used with this to allow you to be compensated.

Supporting guidance for conservation management of small units

Agri-environment Climate Scheme - 9 December, 2016

We've made some minor updates to the supporting guidance for Management of cattle on small units

We've added some possible combinations to the supporting guidance for Conservation management of small units

Agri-environment Climate Scheme - 7 December, 2016

We've updated the Management options and capital items home page to clarify upfront the location codes to be entered in the targeting tool and also the purpose of the spatial targeting maps for arable options.

Insert Management options and capital items page

We've updated the following capital item and management option guidance to offer more clarity:

We've updated the publicity guidance to include clarification that publicity applies to capital funding. Additionally, there is an increase in threshold for posters and plaques from €10,000 to €50,000. There is also a new requirement to erect a billboard for funding over €500,000.

Publicity

We've updated the guidance for Improving Public Access with the correct dates for the new scheme year and to clarifythe application requirements.

Improving Public Access

How to apply for Improving Public Access

Forestry Grant Scheme - 24 November, 2016

We've made some minor updates to clarify the guidance for Woodland Improvement Grant - Restructuring Regeneration.

Restructuring Regeneration

New Entrants and Young Farmers start-up grant schemes - 11 November, 2016

We've updated the publicity requirements for both of these schemes.

New Entrants Start Up

Young Farmers Start Up

Environmental Co-operation Action Fund - 9 November, 2016

We've increased the threshold of grant for applicants to display a plaque.

Environmental Co-operation Action Fund

Forestry Grant Scheme - 5 November, 2016

We've updated the guidance for the following options.

New Entrants and Young Farmers start up grant schemes - 13 October, 2016

We've added guidance to the selection criteria sections of the these schemes regarding our obligation to assess high-value projects to see if a start-up grant is required.

New Entrants Start Up Grant Scheme

Young Farmers Start Up Grant Scheme

Crofting Agricultural Grant Scheme, Small Farms Grant Scheme and New Entrants Capital Grants Scheme - 8 October 2016

We've updated the guidance for these schemes to include more information about the use of certified structural steel

Crofting Agricultural Grant Scheme

Small Farms Grant Scheme and New Entrants Capital Grant Scheme

Agri-Environment Climate Scheme - 29 September 2016

We've raised the threshold for level two applications from £75,000 to £250,000 and also clarified the process for accepting an offer of contract.

How to apply

Agri-Environment Climate Scheme - 26 August, 2016

We've updated the Occupancy of land guidance to remove the requirement to confirm approval from the Crofting Commission.

Occupancy of land

Croft House Grant full guidance - 24 August, 2016

We've updated this guidance - Claims and payments procedure

Scottish Upland Sheep Support Scheme - 24 August, 2016

We've updated this guidance - current guidance

  • Retention locations
  • Declaring and claiming eligible ewe hoggs
  • Animal Identification Requirements
  • Holding register requirements
  • Movement documents and movement notification requirements
  • Economic Responsibility

Forest Grant Scheme - 19 August, 2016

We've updated the guidance for Forest co-operation and Forest Infrastructure to remove details of now-redundant application rounds.

Forest co-operation

Forest infrastructure

Agri-environment Climate Scheme - 16 August, 2016

We've updated this guidance to include information about contract succession.

Contract succession

Agri-environment Climate Scheme - 23 July, 2016

We've updated the occupancy of land guidance with the following information:

'To apply to the Agri-Environment Climate Scheme, you must either own and occupy the land, have a secure tenancy, have a contractual licence or be a grazing clerk submitting an application on behalf of a grazing committee.'

Occupancy of land

Young Farmers and New Entrants start-up scheme - 23 July, 2016

We've updated this guidance to clarify how payments will be converted from Euros to Sterling.

Young farmers and New Entrants start up scheme

Food Processing, Marketing and Co-operation - 21 July, 2016

Food Processing, Marketing and Co-operation - 14 July, 2016

FPMC Funding can - we've added more details on the support this scheme can provide.

Full guidance

Food Processing, Marketing and Co-operation - 13 July, 2016

We've added more information about preliminary costs to the following sections in the full guidance:

  • Claim guidance
  • Eligible costs
  • Eligible and ineligible costs examples

Full guidance

Woodland Creation - How to Claim - 07 July, 2016

Less Favoured Area Support Scheme - 15 June, 2016

Forestry Grant Scheme guidance updates - 15 June, 2016

Croft House Grant - 10 June, 2016

We've updated the guidance for the Croft House Grant.

  • amendments to the selection criteria and grant conditions
  • more details for size restrictions to new homes and home improvements
  • changes to the energy efficiency requirements

Croft House Grant

Forestry Grant Scheme guidance updates - 10 June, 2016

Allocation of entitlements and National Reserve - 1 June, 2016

This guidance has now been archived as most of it related to 2015. The remaining parts have been republished within the National Reserve section.

You can access both the archived versions and the republished National Reserve guidance below.

Allocation of Entitlements archive

National Reserve

Agri-Environment Climate Scheme - 20 May

We've update the compatibility cross checker in the double funding guidance.

Double funding guidance

Beef Efficiency Scheme – 29 April, 2016

We've published the full scheme guidance for this scheme.

Beef Efficiency Scheme

Forestry Grant Scheme – 26 April, 2016

The Harvesting and Processing, Forest Infrastructure and Forestry Co-operation options have been reopened for applications. The new closing date for all three is 17 June, 2016.

Agri-Environment Climate Scheme – 20 April, 2016

The closing date for Agri-Environment Climate Scheme applications for 2016 has been extended to 25 April, 2016. Supporting documentation will be accepted up until 16 May, 2016.

Agri-Environment Climate Scheme – 8 April, 2016

We've updated the claims and payments guidance within the Agri-Environment Climate Scheme:

  • there's an example of how to submit a capital item claim
  • we've included information regarding capital claims of £4,000 or more being subject to administrative inspections

Claims and payments

Young Farmers and New Entrants Start Up Grants – 6 April, 2016

We’ve updated the guidance for the Young Farmers Start-Up Grant and the New Entrants Start-Up Grant. The main changes include:

  • more details in the claims and payments section, including examples
  • the verification and control section has been replaced by a section on inspections
  • we've added a new section on publicity requirements
  • we've also added a new section on breaches, including details of what payments we can reclaim if milestones are not met

New Entrants and Young Farmers Start Up Grants

Allocation of entitlements – 1 April, 2016

We've updated the guidance on the transfer of entitlements.

Transfer of entitlements

Beef Efficiency Scheme - 31 March 2016

We've added some new FAQs as well as the most recent letter sent to customers.

Letter to customers (2) - March 2016

Additional frequently asked questions (FAQs) - March 2016

Agri-Environment Climate Scheme – 24 March, 2016

The closing date for applications for 2016 has been extended to 20 April, 2016. Supporting documentation will be accepted up until 16 May, 2016.

How to apply

Agri-Environment Climate Scheme – 18 March, 2016

We've added information on the Stock Fence and Stock Gate for Improving Public Access capital item.

Environmental Co-operation Action Fund – 18 March, 2016

We've updated various aspects of the full scheme guidance.

Full guidance

National LFASS Scheme – 16 March, 2016

We've published supporting guidance on the National LFASS Scheme.

National LFASS Scheme

Agri-Environment Climate Scheme – 11 March, 2016

We've confirmed the requirement to prepare a diffuse pollution steading assessment when applying for certain water quality options.

Diffuse pollution steading assessment

Forestry Grant Scheme – 11 March, 2016

We've updated the information on forestry inspections.

Forestry inspections overview

Forestry Grant Scheme capital inspections

Greening – 11 March, 2016

We've updated the Greening guidance to take into account the organic land in conversion and removed some crop codes to be consistent with the Single Application Form 2016. We've also taken this opportunity to clarify some other points to make them easier to understand.

Greening

Forestry Grant Scheme – 10 March, 2016

We've added two new pages to the full scheme guidance.

Breaches and penalties

Appeals

Agri-Environment Climate Scheme – 8 March, 2016

We've updated the guidance on Improving Public Access, particularly around paths and stock fencing.

Improving Public Access

Food Processing, Marketing and Co-operation - 26 February, 2016

We've made some updates to this scheme:

  • more information on the appeals and complaints processes
  • more information in Completing your application
  • more information on publicity in Conditions of grant

Food Processing, Marketing and Co-operation

Greening – 18 February, 2016

We've further updated the 2016 Greening guidance.

The main updates are:

  • more information on the previously-announced requirement to complete a nitrogen fertiliser and lime plan for permanent grassland, including guidance on the use of nitrogen fertiliser and an example of a nutrient plan (annex C)
  • we have removed the requirement to incorporate the green crop cover in your Ecological Focus Area
  • we have removed the annex relating to the crop diversification equivalence option, as this will not be implemented in 2016
  • annex J has been updated with more detailed guidance on how to compile and submit a map of your managed Ecological Focus Area

We have also added a number of clarifications, including diagrams showing the location of EFA field margins in relation to EFA nitrogen fixing crops.

  • Changes and points to note
  • Permanent grassland
  • Ecological Focus Areas
  • Annexes

Agri-Environment Climate Scheme – 16 February, 2016

We've updated the requirements for the Organic Farming: Conversion option, as well as the Scoring criteria for Improving Public Access.

Organic Farming: Conversion

Scoring criteria for Improving Public Access

Agri-Environment Climate Scheme – 15 February, 2016

We've published supporting guidance for the Pond Creation for Wildlife capital item.

Supporting guidance for Pond Creation for Wildlife

Agri-Environment Climate Scheme 12 February, 2016

We've published a summary of key changes to the Agri-Environment Climate Scheme for 2016.

Updates for 2016

An example of a completed management diary is now available.

Management diary – example

Agricultural Floodbank Repair Grant Scheme – 2 February, 2016

The Agricultural Floodbank Repair Grant Scheme is now open for applications.

Full guidance and application forms are available.

Agricultural Floodbank Repair Grant Scheme

Agri-Environment Climate Scheme – 28 January, 2016

We've updated the customer guidance for completing an online application.

How to apply – Agri-Environment Climate Scheme (AECS): Online application guidance for customers

Forestry Grant Scheme – 26 January, 2016

We've added a page on claims and payments.

Claims and payments

Livestock inspections – 26 January, 2016

We've made some changes to the information on livestock inspections. There are now separate pages for each of the categories of livestock as well as an introduction to the subject.

Livestock inspections:

Forestry Grant Scheme – 22 January, 2016

We've created a dedicated page, with additional information, that covers the Central Scotland Green Network Contribution.

Central Scotland Green Network Contribution

Agri-Environment Climate Scheme – 20 January, 2016

We've added some more information to the Breaches and penalties section regarding how breaches will be treated.

Breaches and penalties

Crown copyright – 20 January, 2016

We've made some minor changes to our Crown copyright statement, which applies to all information on this website.

Crown copyright

Forestry Grant Scheme – 15 January, 2016

We've updated the ‘Delivering better quality’ element of the scoring criteria for the Native Broadleaves, Native Scots Pine, Native Upland Birch and Native Low-density Broadleaves options.

Woodland Creation

Environmental Co-operation Action Fund – 15 January, 2016

We've added a section on frequently added questions.

Environmental Co-operation Action Fund

Environmental Co-operation Action Fund – 12 January, 2016

We've updated various elements of the full scheme guidance.

Environmental Co-operation Action Fund
Cross Compliance – 9 January, 2016
We've made some changes to the Cross Compliance guidance:
For GAEC 7, the following exemption has been removed from requirement detail 4 – 'for 2015 only, applications of fertilisers or pesticides to crops sown in 2014 for harvest in 2015'.
Retention of landscape features (GAEC 7)
The Beef Efficiency Scheme has been added to list of schemes covered by Cross Compliance.
Introduction to Cross Compliance

Check the updates log from the 2015 scheme year.

2015 updates