New covercrops rules for game shoots

“The set-aside rate for 2008 has been set at zero and if you are planting game covercrops on what was previously set-aside land then under cross compliance legislation new codes may apply,” said the GWCT’s Dr Alastair Leake.

“Game crops grown as mixtures are viewed as a non-food crop and are subsequently subject to Good Agricultural and Environmental rules. This is a complicated issue. If land is being managed as bare fallow, it must be registered as such in your soil protection review and you must not cut or plough the land or apply non-selective herbicides such as Glyphosate. If, however, you sow a gamestrip, the restrictions on herbicide use and cultivations appear not to apply, but you are not permitted to use organic manures or fertilisers.”

Email Dr Leake for further explanation at aleake@gct.org.uk

The rest of this article appears in 1 May issue of Shooting Times.

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