Rural Payments and Services

The aim of this rule is to protect soil against erosion after harvest until the end of winter ('winter' is up to and including the last day of February).

You must:

1. retain the stubble of the previous crop or sow grass or sow another crop, unless:

• agronomic or weather conditions are such that cultivating land would be detrimental to the use of the land for agricultural production

• the land is being prepared for sowing the subsequent crop. Secondary cultivations and final seed beds must only be created very close to sowing

Click 'Download this page' to create a printable version of this guidance you can save or print out.