Policy and Regulation

The Basic Payment Scheme (the equivalent to the EU Pillar 1 payments) is expected to roll over until 2023, subject to funding from the UK government.  A ‘Sustainable Farming Scheme’ will commence in 2025. 

To be eligible for BPS funding, a farmer must engage in cross compliance with environmental or animal welfare regulations (for example, any hedges must not be cut between 1^st March – 31^st August, to protect nesting birds).

The Basic Payment Scheme (the equivalent of the EU Pillar 1 payments) is expected to roll over until at least 2023, and possibly longer.  To be eligible, farmers have to practise cross compliance with environmental and animal welfare regulations (the land has to be maintained under Good Environmental and Ecological Condition). 

From 2021 ‘Greening’ payments (equivalent to the EU Pillar 2 payments) will be discontinued, and the funding will be incorporated into the Basic Payment Scheme (the equivalent to the EU Pillar 1 payments).  Farmers will have to comply with new Greening measures to qualify for 30% of the BPS payment.  The BPS payments are also subject to cross-compliance.

The Basic Payment Scheme (the equivalent of the EU Pillar 1 payments) has operated as previously in 2021, with recipients required to comply with cross-compliance.  It will be phased out between 2021 and 2027.  Payments will be reduced each year, but proportionally more for larger land holdings.  It will be replaced by Environmental Land Management schemes (ELMs), which will have three tiers.  Tier 1 – will pay for management changes directed at improving environmental performance of farming operations.  Tier 2 – will pay for management of land specificall

Eligibility for grant funding

Pillar 1

Farmers in receipt of Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) payment may be eligible for the greening component.  If a farmer has more than 15 ha of land, 5% must be in an Ecological Focus Area. 

Hedges and trees in a line are considered as Landscape Features, and qualify for BPS as long as they are retained and maintained.  If a hedge must be removed for any reason, it must be replaced elsewhere on the land parcel. 

The countries of the UK are producing devolved plans for financial support to agriculture following the UK's departure from the European Union.  These plans are loosely based on the EU regulations, but are showing increasing divergence with time. 

Countries of the EU (including Ireland) provide financial support to farmers in two ways: