Paragraph 1 Option 1 — Meadowland
As regards any meadowland which is the subject of an agreement—
the farmer shall observe the provisions of Schedule 1 paragraph 2 except for sub-paragraphs (3) and (4);
the farmer shall identify land which is meadow and shall maintain it as such for the length of the agreement;
the farmer shall exclude stock at least seven weeks before cutting and in any event by 1st June in any year;
the farmer shall not take the first cut of grass before 1st July in any year, and at least once in every five years he shall not make the first cut until after 22nd July, in accordance with a cutting programme agreed with the Minister;
the farmer shall remove any cut grass and graze the aftermath;
the farmer shall wilt and turn grass cut for silage before removing it;
the farmer shall not apply inorganic or organic fertiliser except farmyard manure which has been produced on his own farm;
the farmer shall not increase his existing application rates of farmyard manure and shall not in any event apply more than 12.5 tonnes per hectare in any year. He shall make only one application a year.