Rural Payments and Services

January

1st - Start of the cross compliance year

31st - End of the closed period for the application of ‘organic manure with a high available N content’ on all land for all soil types (other than sandy or shallow) (SMR 1).

February

15th - End of the closed period for the application of chemical / manufactured fertiliser on all land in the Lower Nithsdale, Lothian and Borders, Strathmore and Fife (including Finavon) and Stranraer Lowlands NVZ areas (SMR 1).

20th - End of the closed period for the application of chemical / manufactured fertiliser on all land in the Moray, Aberdeenshire, Banff and Buchan NVZ area (SMR 1).

March

1st - Deadline for preparing and implementing a fertiliser and manure management plan (SMR 1).

1st - Start of the ban on cutting or trimming hedges / trees (SMR 2, GAEC 7).

1st - Hedge laying can continue from this date until 31 March (SMR 2, GAEC 7).

1st - Start of the ban on removing / burning scrub and gorse (SMR 2).

April

1st - Start of the ban on hedge laying (SMR 2, GAEC 7).

15th - End of the standard muirburn season (SMR 2).

August

1st - Start of the closed period for the application of ‘organic manure with a high available N content’ on all land (other than grassland) where the soil type is sandy or shallow (SMR 1).

1st - Cutting or trimming hedges / trees is allowed to sow oilseed rape or grass or another crop (subject to written consent from RPID) (SMR 2, GAEC 7).

September

1st - Start of the closed period for the application of ‘chemical/manufactured fertiliser’ on all land (other than grassland) (SMR 1).

1st - Start of the closed period for the application of ‘organic manure with a high available N content’ on grassland where the soil type is sandy or shallow (SMR 1).

1st - End of the ban on cutting or trimming hedges / trees (SMR 2, GAEC 7).

1st - End of the ban on removing/burning scrub and gorse (SMR 2).

15th - Start of the closed period for the application of chemical / manufactured fertiliser on grassland (SMR 1).

October

1st - Start of the closed period for the application of ‘organic manure with a high available N content’ on all land (other than grassland) for all soil types (other than sandy or shallow) (SMR 1).

1st - Start of the standard muirburn season (SMR 2).

15th - Start of the closed period for the application of ‘organic manure with a high available N content’ on grassland for all soil types (other than sandy or shallow) (SMR 1).

December

1st - Annual inventory of sheep and goats must be completed (SMR 8).

31st - Deadline for submitting abstraction data returns (including Nil returns) to SEPA (GAEC 2).

31st - End of the closed period for the application of ‘organic manure with a high available N content’ on all land where the soil types is sandy or shallow (SMR 1).

31st - End of the cross compliance year.