Stubble cultivation – measures to establish green cover
Ciaran Collins, Tillage Specialist, tells us how to establish green cover.
The Nitrates Directive is designed to prevent pollution of surface waters and groundwater from agricultural sources and to protect and improve water quality. As part of the Nitrates Directive, tillage farmers are now required to take measures to establish green cover as soon as possible post harvest to prevent the pollution of waters caused by nitrates.
Shallow cultivation or sowing of a crop/catch crop must take place within 10 days of the baling of straw, or where straw is chopped, within 10 days of harvest. In all circumstances, shallow cultivation or sowing of a crop/catch crop must take place within 14 days of harvesting.
Key features of shallow cultivation measure
- Shallow cultivation is only applicable to counties: Carlow; Cork; Dublin; Kildare; Kilkenny; Laois; Louth; Meath; Offaly; Tipperary; Waterford; Westmeath; Wexford; and, Wicklow.
- In certain weather conditions, the Minister for the Environment, in discussion with the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, may grant an exemption.
- Soil consolidation as an alternative to shallow cultivation may apply in situations following oilseed rape or where the Land Parcel Identification System (LPIS) parcel has been certified by a Farm Advisory System (FAS) approved advisor as containing certain grass weeds (brome species and black grass). If soil consolidation is practised as an alternative to shallow cultivation, it must also take place within 14 days of harvesting.
- A minimum of 20% and a maximum of 25% of cereal land on each holding shall not be subject to shallow cultivation post harvest to avoid possible negative impacts on farmland bird species. Unless a crop has subsequently been established, this land shall not be subject to the use of any herbicides until at least February 1 in the following year.
- Avoid cultivations where water flowing over the land surface can enter a watercourse.
Shallow cultivation or sowing of a crop/catch crop must take place within 14 days of harvesting.
Shallow cultivation does not apply in the following cases:
- where the farmer is certified organic;
- where a cereal crop or beans have been harvested after September 15, or where a cereal crop has been under sown with another crop;
- after root crops;
- where a winter cereal crop, oilseed rape or beans are due to be sown on the land by October 31; and,
- where land is destined for use by the National Ploughing Association.
Examples of required area for stubble cultivation for a 100ha farmer.
Q. A farmer with all spring cereals harvested before September 15, no catch crops and intends to have all spring cereals in 2024.
A. Stubble cultivate 75-80ha.
Q. A farmer with all spring cereals harvested before September 15, 100ha catch crops and who intends to have all spring cereals in 2024.
A. No stubble cultivation required.
Q. A farmer with all spring cereals harvested before September 15, 50ha catch crops and who intends to have all spring cereals in 2024.
A. Stubble cultivate 25-30ha.
Q. A farmer who has 100ha winter cereals in 2023 and intends to plant all winter cereals by October 31.
A. No stubble cultivation required.
Q. A farmer who has 50ha winter cereals, 50ha spring cereals in 2023 and intends to have the same cropping in 2024 (winter cereals planted by October 31).
A. Stubble cultivate 25-30ha of the land intended for spring cereals.
Q. A farmer who has 50ha winter cereals and 50ha spring cereals in 2023 and intends to have the same cropping in 2024 (winter crops planted by October 31). A farmer who plants 50ha catch crops on land destined for spring cereals.
A. No stubble cultivation required.
Q. A farmer who has 50ha winter cereals, 30ha maize harvested after September 15, and 20ha spring cereals in 2023, and intends to have the same cropping in 2024 (winter cereals planted before October 31).
A. No stubble cultivation required.
Straw Incorporation Measure
In relation to conditionality where a farmer has engaged in an agri-environment scheme including the Straw Incorporation Measure (SIM), the farmer can comply with those requirements. In the case of the SIM the farmer can have 100% of the cereal and oilseed rape area in SIM and is not required to leave 20-25% for overwintering birds.