You can read the results from cross compliance inspections in 2017 on GOV.UK.
They show the reasons why farmers failed to meet each Statutory Management Requirement (SMR) and Good Agricultural and Environmental Conditions (GAEC).
We publish these results each year to show why farmers most often fail to meet the rules.
Think about the rules set out below in particular and make sure you’re doing what you need to do. If you don’t, you could lose some of your rural payments.
To help you meet these rules, make sure you:
• carry out your statutory TB testing on time (SMR 4)
• keep full and accurate Nitrate Vulnerable Zone records (SMR 1)
• keep full and accurate cattle and sheep records (SMR 7 and 8)
• notify all cattle births and deaths to the Cattle Tracing System (SMR 7)
• use the latest version of the holding register for sheep (SMR 8)
• don’t plough or spray in your hedgerow or watercourse protection zones (GAEC 1 and GAEC 7a)
If you’re unsure about the rules, you can read full details in the ‘Guide to cross compliance in England’ published each year on GOV.UK.
Farming Advice Service (FAS) - if you need help. It’s funded by Defra to give free, confidential advice to farmers and farming industry advisers to help them understand and meet requirements for cross compliance, ‘greening’, water protection and the sustainable use of pesticides.
Call them on 03000 200 301 or search online for more information about the Farming Advice Service.