The standards for Good Agricultural and Environmental Condition (GAEC) provided for under Article 6 of Regulation 73/2009 were operational until December 31st 2014 after which they were replaced under the provisions of Article 94 Regulation 1306/2013.
The minimum requirements for Good Agricultural and Environmental Condition applicable under Regulation 73/2009 are detailed in the publication ‘Single Payment Scheme – Guide to Cross Compliance March 2005’, a copy of which issued to all Single Payment Scheme applicants. This document is available for downloading from the Department's website at www.agriculture.gov.ie and was referenced in the annual Terms and Conditions booklets.
Article 94, together with Annexe II, of Regulation 1306/2013 sets out the Good Agricultural and Environmental Condition (GAEC) standards under the cross compliance rules which are applicable from January 1st 2015. The following are the minimum GAEC standards now applicable:
- GAEC 1 provides for the establishment of buffer strips along watercourses;
- GAEC 2 concerns the authorisation of water use for irrigation where applicable;
- GAEC 3 concerns the protection of groundwater against pollution such as direct and indirect discharge into groundwater;
- GAEC 4 concerns the requirements for minimum soil cover;
- GAEC 5 concerns land management practices to limit the risk of soil erosion;
- GAEC 6 concerns the maintenance of soil organic matter through the adoption of appropriate practices;
- GAEC 7 concerns the retention of landscape features, including where appropriate, hedges, ditches, trees in line, and including a ban on cutting hedges and trees during the bird breeding and rearing season and, as an option, measures for avoiding invasive plant species.
Recent EU audits have not identified any deficiencies in the implementation of the GAEC standards by my Department.
