Updates to guidance
On this page, we'll log any changes to our scheme and inspections guidance.
December 2016
New Entrants Start-up grant and Young Farmers Start-up grant - 31 December, 2016
We've updated the guidance for both scheme with information regarding the 2017 funding round.
Agri-environment Climate Scheme - 24 December, 2016
We’ve updated the supporting guidance for Creation of species rich grassland to provide more information on when existing cover should be removed, more detail on grazing and clarification over when yellow rattle should be sown.
Supporting guidance for creation of species rich grassland
We’ve updated the guidance for Farm Environment Assessment to add Upland Habitat Impact Assessment for deer management to the list of options that do not need a Farm Environment Assessment.
Additionally, Organic applications and Upland Habitat Impact Assessment for deer management have been added to the list of options that do not require a diffuse pollution-based risk assessment.
Further information for those applying either as a single crofter who has a common grazing apportionment (or designated crop area), or as a grazing committee has also been added in. We have updated the Farm Environment Map templates.
We have also added a clarification that diffuse pollution risks must be individual numbered on the map and added to the associated table.
We’ve updated the guidance for Endorsements to advise that an endorsement must be obtained before submitting and application to this scheme. We’ve also updated and clarified the criteria for an endorsement outside the target area for two of the listed management options.
We’ve updated the guidance for Wader and wildlife mown grassland to add some extra information to say it may be possible to apply for this option outside the target area.
Wader and wildlife mown grassland
We’ve updated the guidance for Coastal embankment breaching, lowering or removal to remove advice that the option may be available outside of the targeted area.
Coastal embankment breaching, lowering or removal
We’ve updated the Moorland management guidance to advise that it may be possible to apply for this option out-with the target area.
We’ve updated the supporting guidance for Wetland management to add some additional text advising that the creation option cannot be claimed on rough grazing and clarification over the payment rate.
Supporting guidance for wetland management
We’ve updated the supporting guidance for Water margins in arable fields and Water margins in grassland fields to clarify that the water margin management options can only be claimed on land eligible for the Basic Payment Scheme. We’ve also added further text to clarify how to record your water margin and under what circumstances it is permissible not to cut or graze a water margin.
Supporting guidance for water margins in arable fields and water margins in grassland fields
Beef Efficiency Scheme - 24 December, 2016
We’ve updated this guidance to make various changes. The main updates include the addition and amendment of some key deadlines for applicants, some tightening of wording around requirements for data capture and information on claiming through your Single Application Form. For all of the changes, please check the guidance page.
Cross Compliance - 23 December, 2016
Within the ‘You must’ section, we’ve made changes to point three and deleted the previous points six and seven, relating to producing and using a valid passport. The new point six now includes notifications via ScotMoves and changes have also been made to point 10, in relation to timescales for recording movements in your herd register. Also, within the ‘You must not’ section, point three has been removed in relation to altering or defacing a cattle passport.
Statutory Management Requirement 7 - Cattle identification and registration
Scottish Suckler Beef Support Scheme - 22 December, 2016
We've updated this guidance to include more information on duel breeds.
Scottish Suckler Beef Support Scheme
Forestry Grant Scheme - 16 December, 2016
We've updated the Woodland grazing management plan guidance to include a clarification that permission must be sought from Scottish Natural Heritage for designated sites or national scenic areas.
Woodland grazing management plan
Croft House Grant - 14 December, 2016
We've made various minor updates to this scheme guidance. Please check the guidance for full details.
Agri-environment Climate Scheme - 12 December, 2016
We've updated the supporting guidance for post and tree rail guards to include an additional requirement for wired mesh secured behind the rails when grazing sheep or goats. We have also removed the table which shows the type of construction needed depending on the type of grazing.
Guidance for post and tree rail guards
We’ve updated the supporting guidance for Forage Brassica Crops for Farmland Birds to clarify that the option helps to provide habitat diversity in the wider countryside - in place of ‘pastoral landscapes’
Agri-environment Climate Scheme - 11 December, 2016
We've updated the supporting guidance for Wild bird seed for farmland birds to include an additional requirement when establishing the crop.
Guidance for wild bird seed for farmland birds
We've updated the supporting guidance for Stubbles with green manure to clarify the period the green manure crop must be maintained and include information about the hectarage limit.
Guidance for stubbles followed by green manure in arable rotation
Forestry Grant Scheme - 11 December, 2016
We've updated the guidance for Harvesting and processing with more detail on eligible equipment.
Agri-environment Climate Scheme - 10 December, 2016
We've updated the supporting guidance for Cattle management on small units to add an extra requirement regarding cattle introduced during a previous AECS period
Supporting guidance for cattle management on small units
We've updated the supporting guidance for Conservation management of small units to add in information about options that can be used with this to allow you to be compensated.
Supporting guidance for conservation management of small units
Agri-environment Climate Scheme - 9 December, 2016
We've made some minor updates to the supporting guidance for Management of cattle on small units
We've added some possible combinations to the supporting guidance for Conservation management of small units
Agri-environment Climate Scheme - 7 December, 2016
We've updated the Management options and capital items home page to clarify upfront the location codes to be entered in the targeting tool and also the purpose of the spatial targeting maps for arable options.
Insert Management options and capital items page
We've updated the following capital item and management option guidance to offer more clarity:
We've updated the publicity guidance to include clarification that publicity applies to capital funding. Additionally, there is an increase in threshold for posters and plaques from €10,000 to €50,000. There is also a new requirement to erect a billboard for funding over €500,000.
We've updated the guidance for Improving Public Access with the correct dates for the new scheme year and to clarifythe application requirements.
November 2016
Forestry Grant Scheme - 24 November, 2016
We've made some minor updates to clarify the guidance for Woodland Improvement Grant - Restructuring Regeneration.
New Entrants and Young Farmers start-up grant schemes - 11 November, 2016
We've updated the publicity requirements for both of these schemes.
Environmental Co-operation Action Fund - 9 November, 2016
We've increased the threshold of grant for applicants to display a plaque.
Environmental Co-operation Action Fund
Forestry Grant Scheme - 5 November, 2016
We've updated the guidance for the following options.
October 2016
New Entrants and Young Farmers start up grant schemes - 13 October, 2016
We've added guidance to the selection criteria sections of the these schemes regarding our obligation to assess high-value projects to see if a start-up grant is required.
New Entrants Start Up Grant Scheme
Young Farmers Start Up Grant Scheme
Crofting Agricultural Grant Scheme, Small Farms Grant Scheme and New Entrants Capital Grants Scheme - 8 October 2016
We've updated the guidance for these schemes to include more information about the use of certified structural steel
Crofting Agricultural Grant Scheme
Small Farms Grant Scheme and New Entrants Capital Grant Scheme
September 2016
Agri-Environment Climate Scheme - 29 September 2016
We've raised the threshold for level two applications from £75,000 to £250,000 and also clarified the process for accepting an offer of contract.
August 2016
Agri-Environment Climate Scheme - 26 August, 2016
We've updated the Occupancy of land guidance to remove the requirement to confirm approval from the Crofting Commission.
Croft House Grant full guidance - 24 August, 2016
We've updated this guidance - Claims and payments procedure
Scottish Upland Sheep Support Scheme - 24 August, 2016
We've updated this guidance - current guidance
- Retention locations
- Declaring and claiming eligible ewe hoggs
- Animal Identification Requirements
- Holding register requirements
- Movement documents and movement notification requirements
- Economic Responsibility
Forest Grant Scheme - 19 August, 2016
We've updated the guidance for Forest co-operation and Forest Infrastructure to remove details of now-redundant application rounds.
Agri-environment Climate Scheme - 16 August, 2016
We've updated this guidance to include information about contract succession.
July 2016
Agri-environment Climate Scheme - 23 July, 2016
We've updated the occupancy of land guidance with the following information:
'To apply to the Agri-Environment Climate Scheme, you must either own and occupy the land, have a secure tenancy, have a contractual licence or be a grazing clerk submitting an application on behalf of a grazing committee.'
Young Farmers and New Entrants start-up scheme - 23 July, 2016
We've updated this guidance to clarify how payments will be converted from Euros to Sterling.
Young farmers and New Entrants start up scheme
Food Processing, Marketing and Co-operation - 21 July, 2016
Food Processing, Marketing and Co-operation - 14 July, 2016
FPMC Funding can - we've added more details on the support this scheme can provide.
Food Processing, Marketing and Co-operation - 13 July, 2016
We've added more information about preliminary costs to the following sections in the full guidance:
- Claim guidance
- Eligible costs
- Eligible and ineligible costs examples
Woodland Creation - How to Claim - 07 July, 2016
June 2016
Less Favoured Area Support Scheme - 15 June, 2016
Forestry Grant Scheme guidance updates - 15 June, 2016
- Woodland Creation – Native Low-density Broadleaves
- Woodland Improvement Grant – Restructuring Regeneration
Croft House Grant - 10 June, 2016
We've updated the guidance for the Croft House Grant.
- amendments to the selection criteria and grant conditions
- more details for size restrictions to new homes and home improvements
- changes to the energy efficiency requirements
Forestry Grant Scheme guidance updates - 10 June, 2016
- Public Access - Rural Woods
- Public Access - Woods in and Around Towns
- Woodland Creation - Conifer
- Woodland Creation - Diverse Conifer
- Woodland Creation - Small or Farm Woodland
Allocation of entitlements and National Reserve - 1 June, 2016
This guidance has now been archived as most of it related to 2015. The remaining parts have been republished within the National Reserve section.
You can access both the archived versions and the republished National Reserve guidance below.
May 2016
Agri-Environment Climate Scheme - 20 May
We've update the compatibility cross checker in the double funding guidance.
April 2016
Beef Efficiency Scheme – 29 April, 2016
We've published the full scheme guidance for this scheme.
Forestry Grant Scheme – 26 April, 2016
The Harvesting and Processing, Forest Infrastructure and Forestry Co-operation options have been reopened for applications. The new closing date for all three is 17 June, 2016.
Agri-Environment Climate Scheme – 20 April, 2016
The closing date for Agri-Environment Climate Scheme applications for 2016 has been extended to 25 April, 2016. Supporting documentation will be accepted up until 16 May, 2016.
Agri-Environment Climate Scheme – 8 April, 2016
We've updated the claims and payments guidance within the Agri-Environment Climate Scheme:
- there's an example of how to submit a capital item claim
- we've included information regarding capital claims of £4,000 or more being subject to administrative inspections
Young Farmers and New Entrants Start Up Grants – 6 April, 2016
We’ve updated the guidance for the Young Farmers Start-Up Grant and the New Entrants Start-Up Grant. The main changes include:
- more details in the claims and payments section, including examples
- the verification and control section has been replaced by a section on inspections
- we've added a new section on publicity requirements
- we've also added a new section on breaches, including details of what payments we can reclaim if milestones are not met
New Entrants and Young Farmers Start Up Grants
Allocation of entitlements – 1 April, 2016
We've updated the guidance on the transfer of entitlements.
March 2016
Beef Efficiency Scheme - 31 March 2016
We've added some new FAQs as well as the most recent letter sent to customers.
Letter to customers (2) - March 2016
Additional frequently asked questions (FAQs) - March 2016
Agri-Environment Climate Scheme – 24 March, 2016
The closing date for applications for 2016 has been extended to 20 April, 2016. Supporting documentation will be accepted up until 16 May, 2016.
Agri-Environment Climate Scheme – 18 March, 2016
We've added information on the Stock Fence and Stock Gate for Improving Public Access capital item.
Environmental Co-operation Action Fund – 18 March, 2016
We've updated various aspects of the full scheme guidance.
National LFASS Scheme – 16 March, 2016
We've published supporting guidance on the National LFASS Scheme.
Agri-Environment Climate Scheme – 11 March, 2016
We've confirmed the requirement to prepare a diffuse pollution steading assessment when applying for certain water quality options.
Diffuse pollution steading assessment
Forestry Grant Scheme – 11 March, 2016
We've updated the information on forestry inspections.
Forestry Grant Scheme capital inspections
Greening – 11 March, 2016
We've updated the Greening guidance to take into account the organic land in conversion and removed some crop codes to be consistent with the Single Application Form 2016. We've also taken this opportunity to clarify some other points to make them easier to understand.
Forestry Grant Scheme – 10 March, 2016
We've added two new pages to the full scheme guidance.
Agri-Environment Climate Scheme – 8 March, 2016
We've updated the guidance on Improving Public Access, particularly around paths and stock fencing.
February 2016
Food Processing, Marketing and Co-operation - 26 February, 2016
We've made some updates to this scheme:
- more information on the appeals and complaints processes
- more information in Completing your application
- more information on publicity in Conditions of grant
Food Processing, Marketing and Co-operation
Greening – 18 February, 2016
We've further updated the 2016 Greening guidance.
The main updates are:
- more information on the previously-announced requirement to complete a nitrogen fertiliser and lime plan for permanent grassland, including guidance on the use of nitrogen fertiliser and an example of a nutrient plan (annex C)
- we have removed the requirement to incorporate the green crop cover in your Ecological Focus Area
- we have removed the annex relating to the crop diversification equivalence option, as this will not be implemented in 2016
- annex J has been updated with more detailed guidance on how to compile and submit a map of your managed Ecological Focus Area
We have also added a number of clarifications, including diagrams showing the location of EFA field margins in relation to EFA nitrogen fixing crops.
- Changes and points to note
- Permanent grassland
- Ecological Focus Areas
- Annexes
Agri-Environment Climate Scheme – 16 February, 2016
We've updated the requirements for the Organic Farming: Conversion option, as well as the Scoring criteria for Improving Public Access.
Scoring criteria for Improving Public Access
Agri-Environment Climate Scheme – 15 February, 2016
We've published supporting guidance for the Pond Creation for Wildlife capital item.
Supporting guidance for Pond Creation for Wildlife
Agri-Environment Climate Scheme – 12 February, 2016
We've published a summary of key changes to the Agri-Environment Climate Scheme for 2016.
An example of a completed management diary is now available.
Agricultural Floodbank Repair Grant Scheme – 2 February, 2016
The Agricultural Floodbank Repair Grant Scheme is now open for applications.
Full guidance and application forms are available.
January 2016
Agri-Environment Climate Scheme – 28 January, 2016
We've updated the customer guidance for completing an online application.
How to apply – Agri-Environment Climate Scheme (AECS): Online application guidance for customers
Forestry Grant Scheme – 26 January, 2016
We've added a page on claims and payments.
Livestock inspections – 26 January, 2016
We've made some changes to the information on livestock inspections. There are now separate pages for each of the categories of livestock as well as an introduction to the subject.
Forestry Grant Scheme – 22 January, 2016
We've created a dedicated page, with additional information, that covers the Central Scotland Green Network Contribution.
Central Scotland Green Network Contribution
Agri-Environment Climate Scheme – 20 January, 2016
We've added some more information to the Breaches and penalties section regarding how breaches will be treated.
Crown copyright – 20 January, 2016
We've made some minor changes to our Crown copyright statement, which applies to all information on this website.
Forestry Grant Scheme – 15 January, 2016
We've updated the ‘Delivering better quality’ element of the scoring criteria for the Native Broadleaves, Native Scots Pine, Native Upland Birch and Native Low-density Broadleaves options.
Environmental Co-operation Action Fund – 15 January, 2016
We've added a section on frequently added questions.
Environmental Co-operation Action Fund
Environmental Co-operation Action Fund – 12 January, 2016
We've updated various elements of the full scheme guidance.
Environmental Co-operation Action Fund
Cross Compliance – 9 January, 2016
We've made some changes to the Cross Compliance guidance:
For GAEC 7, the following exemption has been removed from requirement detail 4 – 'for 2015 only, applications of fertilisers or pesticides to crops sown in 2014 for harvest in 2015'.
Retention of landscape features (GAEC 7)
The Beef Efficiency Scheme has been added to list of schemes covered by Cross Compliance.
Introduction to Cross Compliance
Updates from 2015
Check the updates log from the 2015 scheme year.