According to a Department of Agriculture circular issued in September, GLAS 2018 advance payments are on track to commence in November. However, in the circular the Department issued to GLAS advisers, there are a number of scheme requirements to be met to ensure payment, as listed below:

Commonage management plans (CMP) or commonage farm plans (CFP) must be submitted for all GLAS commonages. Outstanding plans are preventing payments from issuing to the participants concerned and will affect the advance.

Nutrient management plans (NMP) must be submitted for all GLAS participants. Outstanding NMPs are preventing GLAS III payments from issuing and will affect the 2018 advance. The contracts of GLAS I and II participants who failed to submit an NMP have been terminated, the Department said.

GLAS III NMPs outstanding after 31 December 2018 will result in termination of those GLAS contracts and rejection from the scheme.

The deadline for the return of rare breed forms was 31 July. Outstanding returns will delay payment of the 2018 advance and potentially lead to rejection from the scheme.

GLAS participants with the low emission slurry spreading (LESS) action should have received their 2018 annual declaration and claim form. The completed forms must be returned by 31 October.

Outstanding returns will delay payment of the 2018 advance and potentially lead to rejection from the scheme. Where training in the case of GLAS I and II has not been undertaken by 31 December 2018, it will result in rejection from the scheme.

Payments to GLAS III participants who have not completed training by 31 December 2018 will be delayed until training is completed and training must be completed by all GLAS III participants by 31 December 2019 to avoid rejection from the scheme.

In addition, the Department said in cases that are rejected from the scheme, all GLAS payments made to date will be clawed back.

Slurry prohibition

Farmers should be aware that the closed period for spreading farmyard manure and slurry on land is now in place.