First year in REPS

By Catherine Keena

Did you join REPS within the last year? If so, what work must be done before the end of the first year?

The length and location of stonewalls or hedgerows to be maintained each year is shown on your REPS plan. Only hedgerow maintenance specified for year 1 may be done in that year or a penalty may apply. Work to be done to maintain the visual appearance of the farm and farmyard is also specified on a yearly basis. This includes tidying, painting and maintaining traditional farm buildings.

Fencing watercourses and wells

Access by bovines to within 1.5 metres of watercourses must be prohibited before the end of the first year and thereafter. Also, wells and boreholes must be fenced, irrespective of land use, leaving a clear distance of at least 2 metres between well or borehole and fence at the nearest point. Where wells are located in the farmyard and clearly not accessible to livestock, then apart from adequate safety considerations, there is no requirement to fence.

Farm boundaries and entrances

By the end of the first year, external boundary and roadside fences must be stockproofed. Also, entrances from public roads must have hung gates.

Pollution control work

Buildings or repairs necessary for pollution control must be completed prior to the first winter. This includes minimisation of soiled concrete yard areas, separation of soiled and clean water, laying of concrete to gravel floored or unsurfaced loose-bedded houses for cattle and horses and any necessary repairs to roofs, gutters, downpipes, channels, drains or floors.

Additional fodder storage capacity or other repair work to silage stores must be done before the next fodder season.