Structure and Conditions of the Green, Low-Carbon, Agri-Environment Scheme (GLAS)

GLAS aims to address the cross-cutting objectives of climate change, water quality and biodiversity. These are the requirements for the third tranche of GLAS launched in 2016.

All of these requirements are compulsory:

• an approved agricultural planner must prepare the GLAS application
• nutrient Management Planning
• training in environmental practices and standards
• record keeping of actions delivered

Tier 1(a): All farmers with PEAs get first priority access to the Scheme in Year One and subsequent years.

If any of these Priority Assets are applicable to the holding, they must be chosen and the relevant actions planned:

• farmland habitat (private Natura sites)
• farmland birds (Breeding Waders, Chough, Corncrake, Geese/swans, Grey Partridge, Hen Harrier, Twite)
• commonages (50% target participation in GLAS Commonage Plan)
• high status water area
• rare breeds

Tier 1(b): If an applicant (whether beef, sheep or dairy) with a whole farm stocking-rate exceeding 140kg Livestock Manure Nitrogen per hectare produced on the holding, or any farmer with more than 30ha of arable crops, wishes to be considered under Tier 1, they must adopt at least one of the following four mandatory actions:

• minimum tillage (arable farm >30ha)
• catch crops establishment from a sown crop (arable farm >30ha)
• low emission slurry spreading (livestock farm >140kg N/ha only)
• wild bird cover (livestock farm > 140kg N/ha only)

Registered Organic farmers will qualify for priority access to the scheme under Tier 1(b), by selecting actions appropriate to the farm. However, if any of the assets listed in the first set of bullet-points above apply, they must be chosen first.

Commitments under the Organic Farming Scheme will not qualify for payment under GLAS.

It is not guaranteed that all eligible applicants in Tier 1(b) will get into the Scheme and a scoring matrix will apply if necessary.

Tier 2(a): Farmers, who do not have Priority Environmental Assets but whose lands include a Vulnerable Water Area, may apply for access to the scheme under Tier 2. In such cases, the appropriate actions relevant to Vulnerable Water Areas must be selected.

Tier 2(b): In the absence of a Vulnerable Water Area, an applicant may still qualify for Tier 2 access provided one of the following actions are chosen and planned for:

• minimum Tillage (arable farm < 30 ha )
• catch Crops Establishment from a Sown Crop (arable farm < 30 ha)
• low Emission Slurry Spreading (livestock farm < 140kg N/ha)
• wild Bird Cover (grassland farm < 140 kg N/ha )

It is not guaranteed that all eligible applicants in Tier 2 will get into the Scheme and a scoring matrix will apply if necessary.

These actions aim to enhance the climate change, water quality and biodiversity benefits delivered and can be chosen in addition to Tier 1 and Tier 2 actions or on their own (choosing only General Actions will not guarantee entry to the Scheme):

• arable margins
• bat boxes
• bird boxes
• catch crops
• conservation of solitary bees
• coppicing hedgerows
• environmental management of fallow land
• laying hedgerows
• low-emission slurry spreading
• low-input permanent pasture
• minimum tillage
• planting a grove of native trees
• protection of archaeological sites
• protection of water courses (not in high status or vulnerable areas)
• riparian margins
• traditional hay meadow
• traditional stone wall maintenance
• wild bird cover
• a scoring matrix will be used to allow farmers join GLAS by means of these actions if take-up of Tier 1 and Tier 2 actions permits.