Article 2 Interpretation

In this Order—

• “agreement” means an agreement under section 18(3) of the Agriculture Act 1986 as respects agricultural land in the area designated by article 3;

• “enclosed unimproved permanent grassland” means enclosed permanent grassland which has not undergone regular land cultivation, or which has not been regularly treated with fertilisers, lime, slag or pesticides;

• “farmer” means a person who has an interest in agricultural land in the area designated by article 3 and who also has entered into an agreement with the Minister;

• “grassland” means land of which the vegetation consists primarily of grass species;

• “grazing unit” means an area of land on which stock management and numbers can be controlled by existing boundaries or by shepherding;

• “heather moorland or coastal heath” means moorland or coastal heath comprised in a grazing unit where the area of heather is greater than 10 hectares or represents more than 25 per cent of the area of the unit;

• “heather” means common heather (Calluna vulgaris), and includes common heather growing in association with other ericaceous dwarf shrub species including western gorse (Ulex gallii);

• “improved permanent grassland” means permanent grassland used for pasture or for the production of hay or silage which is regularly treated with fertilisers;

• “livestock unit” means—

  1. (a)

     1 bovine animal more than 2 years old, or

  2. (b)

     1.66 bovine animals from six months old to two years old inclusive, or

  3. (c)

     6.66 sheep, or

  4. (d)

     1 soliped (other than a pure bred Exmoor pony) more than six months old;

• “managed woodland” means an area of at least one hectare of woodland for which, within two years of the start of the agreement, the farmer obtains approval for a grant either in connection with the management of the land for forestry purposes under section 1 of the Forestry Act 1979^f1 or in relation to the conservation and enhancement of a National Park under section 39 or 44 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981^f2;

• “moorland” means land covered by semi-natural upland vegetation which is generally unenclosed except along ownership boundaries;

• “permanent grassland” means grassland which has not been ploughed or reseeded for at least ten years;

• “woodland” means land used for woodland where that use is ancillary to the farming of land for other agricultural purposes.

Any reference in this Order to a numbered article or Schedule shall be construed as a reference to the article or Schedule bearing that number in this Order.