The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) have announced that the ‘Greening’ requirement under the Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) is to be removed for the 2021 Scheme year.

Applicants submitting a Basic Payment Scheme claim in 2021 will not be required to adhere to the three crop rule on arable land and won’t need to maintain at least 5% of land as an Ecological Focus Area.

2021 will also be the first year that Basic Payment Scheme applicants will receive a reduced payment with a 5% cut on the first £30,000 rising to a 25% cut on payments above £150,000.

Details surrounding the reduction in payments from 2022 through to 2027, the BPS transition period, are yet to be announced.

Contact our Rural team on 01789 387881 for further information and help with the Basic Payment Scheme.