Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Affairs updates FAQ document on 'greening'

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Affairs has updated the document, published in September, in order to respond to frequently asked questions related to the payment of practices that are beneficial to the climate and environment, also known as 'greening'.

Greening was incorporated into the latest reform of the CAP and will come into force in the request for subsidies for 2015. The document seeks to clear up doubts raised by farmers in relation to its practical application so that the relevant environmental practices can be implemented to receive payment in 2015.

To this end, it covers a wide range of issues, including greening and the requirements to be a beneficiary of this type of payment. It also clarifies concepts such as the diversification of crops and the maintenance of permanent pasture, and it defines the characteristics of land of ecological interest and nitrogen-fixing crops. It also sets out the type of operations that are exempt from respecting greening practices.

This document has been updated in response to issues that have been clarified by the European Commission over recent months on the various measures giving rise to greening with a view to facilitating maximum understanding.