The James Hutton Institute
This page is no longer updated. The Macaulay Land Use Research Institute joined forces with SCRI on 1 April 2011 to create The James Hutton Institute.
THE STATE OF SCOTLAND'S FARMED ENVIRONMENT 2005
17. CROSS-COMPLIANCE: GOOD AGRICULTURAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITION
EVALUATION
The GAEC measures as defined in Scotland focus to a large extent on soil-related measures. The importance of GAEC can be seen in balancing potential changes in land management and landscape as a consequence of decoupling and modulation. It is widely anticipated that decoupling of direct payments and modulation may lead to further land management extensification and to changes in farm structures resulting in fewer, bigger farms. Without GAEC, extensification, on the one hand, and farm amalgamation, on the other hand, could potentially lead to significant changes in vegetation and field structures (for example, fewer hedges, walls and dykes), with implications for environment, wildlife and the characteristics of the cultural landscape in rural Scotland. A more detailed evaluation of the environmental impact of GAEC is only possible in some years once comprehensive information have been obtained through the monitoring of GAEC. At this time, there is still uncertainty about the extent of land management changes required by GAEC and how and how effective GAEC inspection and monitoring will be.
SOURCES
- SEERAD (2004). Single Farm Payment Scheme, Information Leaflet 7: Cross Compliance. External Website.
The Scottish Beef Calf Scheme >>