Farmers in GLAS should take care when filling out the Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) application form to ensure the land details are correct.

Crop type and locations should be exactly the same on the GLAS plan and the BPS application. For example, if a parcel has been applied for as traditional hay meadow on your GLAS plan, but the same area is shown as permanent pasture on the BPS application, this could result in major issues for your participation in the scheme.

Similarly, farmers and planners should ensure the minimum GLAS scheme requirements are being met. For example, the minimum wild bird cover area is 1ha. If the area appears as 0.9ha on the BPS application, farmers may be excluded from GLAS because this was a priority action for a lot of applicants.

Finally, checks should be carried out to ensure only eligible areas are claimed on BPS. For example, the claimed parcel area for low input permanent pasture in GLAS may need to be reduced on BPS if it includes non-eligible areas such as scrub. Making these checks now can help prevent future issues.

Managing rushes

A farmer contacted the Irish Farmers Journal enquiring about the options available for dealing with heavy rushes in low input permanent pasture in GLAS. According to GLAS specifications, rushes must be controlled either mechanically, by weed wiping, and/or by spot-spraying.

While weed wiping and/or spot spraying can take place between 15 March and 15 July, topping to control rushes cannot take place between these dates.

The farmer said the rushes are strong and unsightly looking. Because of wet weather last year, he did not get the opportunity to control them. He said they are too strong for weed wiping and too plentiful for spot treatment.

In this situation, the farmer should wait until he is allowed to cut first, because heavy rushes are very difficult to kill with spray. After 15 July, he could cut them first and weed wipe or spot spray the regrowth a month later with a suitable herbicide at the correct rates.