The 2024 direct and area subsidies campaign is underway. Recruitment will last until July 1. According to ARiMR data, as of June 10 this year, over 909,000 applications have been submitted so far. such conclusions.
The catalog of payments that can be applied for in this year's campaign is similar to that from 2023. The previously announced changes to the rules on conditionality have already entered into force. Modifications to the regulations concern:
- exemption of farms up to 10 ha from inspections and sanctions for failure to meet conditionality;
- greater freedom in applying the CAP requirement to keep the ratio of permanent grassland to agricultural land above 5%. compared to 2018 (GAEC 1);
- minimum soil cover in the most sensitive periods (GAEC 6) – the draft regulation introduces a new – one for all crops – soil cover maintenance period – i.e. from the day of harvesting the crop in the main crop to October 15 of the year in which this crop was harvested in the main crop. A provision has also been introduced that during the period of maintaining the soil cover (from the date of harvesting the crop in the main crop to October 15 of a given year), a break for agrotechnical procedures before sowing winter crops is possible, lasting no longer than 4 weeks. The following are considered to meet the requirements of the standard: plant cover (grasses on arable land, catch crops, undersowings, small-seeded legumes and their mixtures with grasses, main crops in the field until October 15), leaving stubble, land covered with harvest residues and self-seeding of harvested crops, mulch. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development informs that the new regulation on this matter was submitted for public consultation on May 29.
- rotation and diversification of crops on arable land (GAEC 7) – the project introduces a simplification that gives farmers a choice – implementing the requirement of this standard by means of crop rotation, i.e. a specific sequence of crops, or the use of crop diversification. If you choose crop rotation:
– on 40% of the farm's arable land, the same crop cannot be maintained on the same plot from year to year;
– on all arable land on the farm, the same main crop cannot be grown for longer than 3 years.
If you choose crop diversification:
- on farms with an area of arable land ranging from 10 ha to 30 ha – it is enough to grow two crops, but the largest cannot constitute more than 75%. surface;
- on farms with an area of more than 30 ha of arable land – it is enough to have three crops, but the largest crop cannot constitute more than 75%. area, and two main crops no more than 95%. surface.
Moreover, the regulation proposes to exempt from the obligation to change the area of arable land on which corn seed plantations are carried out. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development informs that the new regulation on this matter was submitted for public consultation on May 29;
- minimum share of arable land area intended for non-productive areas or facilities, preservation of landscape elements and a ban on trimming trees and hedges during the bird breeding season (GAEC 8) – the draft regulation abolishes the obligation to allocate at least 4% of arable land area to non-productive areas or facilities – the so-called "fallowing". The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development informs that the new regulation on this matter was submitted for public consultation on May 29.
Act amending the Act on the Strategic Plan, which, among others, a new ecoscheme "Land excluded from production" is introduced, was adopted by the Sejm of the Republic of Poland on May 23, 2024.
- new eco-scheme "Land excluded from production" – farmers implementing this eco-scheme will receive payments for excluding arable land from production up to an area of no more than 4% of the arable land area on the farm. The estimated payment rate is approximately EUR 126.52/ha, i.e. approximately PLN 563/ha. The implementation of the new eco-scheme will enable farmers to voluntarily exclude part of arable land from production, for which they will receive payments. Agricultural production (including grazing and mowing) and the use of plant protection products will be prohibited in this area.
The adopted regulations make it possible to submit an application for payment under the new eco-scheme or to make changes to previously submitted applications by August 31 this year.
According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, there will also be a new payment – for small farms, which, like last year, is to be intended for farmers with up to 5 ha of agricultural land. This proposal still requires acceptance by the European Commission.
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Commissioner Wojciechowski's proposal
A discussion is already underway on the vision and assumptions of the EU agricultural policy after 2027. And here Janusz Wojciechowski, EU Commissioner for Agriculture, proposes an interesting solution when it comes to direct payments after 2027, specifically far-reaching simplifications. What would they involve?
– What do you think about this simplification of distribution? Up to 10 ha and max. 2.5 thousand euro – optional lump sum (similar to the current 1,250 euro/ha). Up to 20 ha and max. 5 thousand euro – optional lump sum with the condition of at least one ecoscheme on at least half of the land. The rest follow general rules – writes Commissioner Wojciechowski on social media.
– The lump sum option should be increased to PLN 2,000. euro and available for farms up to 10 ha, in addition, significant simplifications should be introduced for payments up to PLN 5,000. euro (e.g. lump sum payment for at least one selected eco-scheme). There is something to think about and work on, the commissioner also writes in another tweet.
How do Internet users comment on this proposal? Here are some references:
– With the current CAP, it is better not to mix it, in the future, up to 10 ha can be considered above, it is completely pointless.
– Too far-reaching. It will concrete any ownership changes for years. There will be no fewer employees at ARiMR, so they will intensify control on farms over 20 ha, so those who have more will start dividing them, or if they have slightly more than 20 ha, they will go below this level.
– I support it. It is not profitable for large people to divide their farms.
– Most farms up to 10 ha in my area are not farms at all, only recipients of subsidies. The payment of subsidies should be gradually completely limited, unless they prove that they have a greenhouse for vegetables, etc.
– Mr Commissioner, I will agree, but on one condition. Let each farm up to 10 ha attach at least the following to its application for (I assume) a lump sum. 3 invoices from the sale of agricultural products to prove that these farms exist at all and produce anything.
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Animal breeding in the EU must be supported
Further in the entries, Wojciechowski also emphasizes the need to pay more attention to animal breeding in the future.
– Breeding is declining in the EU and to stop it, support for it must be increased, preferably through welfare payments. EU law is adapted to this, and so is the Polish KPS, although it needs a few changes. However, political consent for well-being plus in the future CAP is needed – we read in a post on Janusz Wojciechowski's social media.
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The EC wants to introduce changes to de minimis aid in agriculture. Check which ones!
