{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/common-agricultural-policy-single-payment-and-support-schemes-cross-compliance-england-regulations-2004/schedule/paragraph-7",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/common-agricultural-policy-single-payment-and-support-schemes-cross-compliance-england-regulations-2004/schedule/paragraph-7.json",
  "legislation": "uksi/2004/3196",
  "legislation_title": "The Common Agricultural Policy Single Payment and Support Schemes (Cross Compliance) (England) Regulations 2004",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/common-agricultural-policy-single-payment-and-support-schemes-cross-compliance-england-regulations-2004",
  "path": "schedule/paragraph/7",
  "kind": "paragraph",
  "number": "7",
  "heading": "Management of land which is not in agricultural production",
  "text": "(1) Except where sub-paragraph (2) applies, and except on land which is set aside pursuant to a set aside obligation under Article 54 of the Council Regulation, on any eligible hectare which is not used for agricultural production a farmer must—\n(a) cut down any scrub and cut down or graze any rank vegetation at least once every 5 years, but—\n(i) where vegetation has not been cut down or grazed for 3 years, he must only cut down or graze 50% of the area of that vegetation in either of the next two years, and\n(ii) he must not cut down or graze any vegetation in the period within any year beginning with 1st March and ending with 31st July, unless cutting or grazing are necessary in order for the farmer to comply with paragraph 8;\n(b) on any land which has carried a crop of oil-seeds, grain legumes or cereals (other than maize) which has been harvested using a combine harvester or a mower, establish a green cover (either through sowing or self-seeding) as soon as is practicable on or after 1st March in the first year after the land has ceased to be used for agricultural production, unless he can prove that he intends to bring the land back into agricultural production before 15th May in that year;\n(c) not use the land for non-farm vehicular use;\n(d) not apply any inorganic fertiliser to the land; and\n(e) not apply organic fertilisers to the land.\n(2) However—\n(a) the requirement in sub-paragraph (1)(a)(ii) does not apply where it would conflict with the farmer’s obligations under paragraph 8 or 9;\n(b) no requirement in sub-paragraph (1)(a) or (b) applies where it would conflict with the farmer’s obligations under paragraph 24;\n(c) no requirement in sub-paragraph (1)(d) or (e) applies where the land is situated in an area known to be used as a feeding area by geese in winter and is managed as such an area;\n(d) the requirement in sub-paragraph (1)(e) does not apply where organic fertilisers are applied as part of seedbed preparation during a period beginning two months before the day the crop is sown;\n(e) no requirement of sub-paragraph (1) applies where it would conflict with the farmer’s obligations under paragraphs 18 to 21;\n(f) no requirement of sub-paragraph (1) applies where it would, in relation to a particular area of land, conflict with an obligation on the farmer under an agri-environment commitment; and\n(g) no requirement of sub-paragraph (1) applies to the extent that the Secretary of State has, in order to enhance the environment, given the farmer written permission to manage the land in a different way.\n(3) In this paragraph, “eligible hectare” has the meaning given to it in Article 44(2) of the Council Regulation;",
  "extent": null,
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [],
  "outstanding_effects": [
    {
      "type": "words inserted",
      "affecting": "uksi/2005/918",
      "affecting_title": "The Common Agricultural Policy Single Payment and Support Schemes (Cross Compliance) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2005"
    },
    {
      "type": "words substituted",
      "affecting": "uksi/2005/918",
      "affecting_title": "The Common Agricultural Policy Single Payment and Support Schemes (Cross Compliance) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2005"
    },
    {
      "type": "words substituted",
      "affecting": "uksi/2005/918",
      "affecting_title": "The Common Agricultural Policy Single Payment and Support Schemes (Cross Compliance) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2005"
    },
    {
      "type": "word substituted",
      "affecting": "uksi/2005/918",
      "affecting_title": "The Common Agricultural Policy Single Payment and Support Schemes (Cross Compliance) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2005"
    }
  ],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2004/3196/schedule/paragraph/7",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T05:14:19.331232+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}