Crops

Oct 21, 2023

The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine has confirmed changes to GAEC 6 of Conditionality in relation to the catch crop lie-back rule.

Initially under GAEC 6, tillage farmers who intended to graze catch crops this winter were required to have a lie back area equal in size to the area of catch crops grown. For example, if 5ha of catch crops were grown to be grazed by livestock, 5ha of an adjoining lie back in grassland was required to permit grazing.

However, the Department has since moved to adjust this requirement, moving from a 50:50 catch crop:lie back split to a 70:30 catch crop:lie back split. This means that if a farmer grows 7ha of catch crops for grazing, a grassland lie back of 3ha is required. While this will help some farmers, it will be of no benefit for farmers who grow 100% tillage.

GAEC 6 of Conditionality has also introduced other rules regarding the grazing of catch crops, which were outlined in the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine’s Explanatory Handbook for Conditionality Requirements, these include:

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