Farmers are permitted to cut some 70,000ha of hay meadows since Wednesday 1 July. The target for these farmers who selected the measure as part of the Green Low Carbon Agri-Environmental Scheme is to save these meadows as hay.

However, in situations where hay cannot be made due to weather or other reasons, farmers are permitted to make silage, provided the grass is turned at least twice before collecting.

The reason for this approach is to give seeds the best chance of being dispersed and ensuring swards maintain the required diversity of species.

A suitable traditional hay meadow must contain a minimum of three grass species, such as Cocksfoot, Timothy, bent grasses, fescues, Sweet Vernal, Yorkshire Fog, etc (excluding ryegrasses), that are widely dispersed in the LPIS parcel.

LIPP parcels

Wednesday 1 July also marks the date from which parcels selected as a low-input permanent pasture (LIPP) can be topped. There is 280,000ha currently farmed under this measure.

Topping is not permitted between 15 March and 1 July. It can be carried out before or after this date and, along with spot-spraying or weed wiping/licking, is one of the permitted options for controlling rushes.

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