These Land Eligibility inspections will be underway before the end of June. DARD inspectors will be using mobile-mapping technology to meet EU audit requirements. Each inspector will have a laptop computer that shows the farm maps, an aerial photograph of each field and a Global Positioning System (GPS) which is just like the Sat-Nav in a car, to enable the inspector to determine his or her position within the field. This means that when the inspector visits a farm he or she can see a photograph of each field within the farm boundary and accurately measure the areas claimed.
"We have proactively encouraged farmers to update their maps at workshops, Balmoral Show and through a number of newspaper articles. A corresponding increase in the number of map amendments has been observed," a DARD spokesperson continued.
"Farmers may be reassured to know that the Cross-Compliance inspection rate is 1% and the Land Eligibility inspection rate is 5%."
The term Cross-Compliance refers to the requirement for farmers to comply with a set of Statutory Management Requirements (SMRs) and keep their land in Good Agricultural and Environmental Condition (GAEC) in order to quality for full payments under the Single Payment Scheme; Less Favoured Area Compensatory Allowances Scheme; Aid for Energy Crops; the Organic Farming Scheme; and the Northern Ireland Countryside Management Scheme. A number of other DARD coordinated measures also come with the cross compliance remit
The SMRs relate to aspects of public, animal and plant health plus environment and animal welfare. The standards of GAEC relate to issues of soil erosion, soil organic matter, soil structure, ensuring minimum level of maintenance, avoiding the deterioration of habitats and the extraction of water for irrigation.
The DARD spokesperson concluded: "There are many different aspects of Cross-Compliance and inspections are carried out at different times throughout the year."