REPS & Environment

Tillage farmers often say there is nothing but rubbish in their field margins. However, even with no rare plants present, margins provide food, shelter, breeding grounds and corridors of movement for wildlife. Their structure suits small mammals such as common lizards and field mice. Barn owls need mice. Bats fly along field margins finding insects. Some beetles and hoverflies present are predators of crop pests. Ground-nesting birds such as pheasant and meadow pipit breed there. Plants gone to seed are used by seed eating birds such as linnets. Traditional grasses like cocksfoot, yorkshire fog, crested dog's tail and timothy smother problem weeds such as cleavers and scutch.

Measure 9 in REPS specifies tillage field margins must be left uncultivated where no nutrients or sprays are applied:

Wire fence

Field margins must be 1.5 metres from the wire fence. Total margin between two fields is therefore three metres.

Stone wall

Field margins must be 1.5 metres from the stone wall. Total margin between two fields is therefore three metres plus width of the wall.

Hedgerow under two metres wide

Field margins must be two metres from the centre of the hedgerow. Total margin between two fields shall not be less than four metres.

Hedgerows over two metres wide

Field margins must be two metres from the centre of the hedgerow, plus half the width the hedgerow exceeds two metres.

Total margin between two fields shall be four metres plus the width the hedgerow exceeds two metres.

Between 1999 and 2003, 382 farmers with tillage were penalised under Measure 9. The penalty is 10% of the annual REPS payment where tillage field margin widths are not in conformity with REPS requirements.