This factsheet provides information on the relationship between the Organic Farming Scheme and Tir Gofal.  Issues covered are; entering land into both schemes, payments, underlying principles of the schemes and arable farming

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       Organic Centre Wales · Factsheet No 2 · December 2006  Published by Organic Centre Wales, Institute of Rural Sciences, University of Wales Aberystwyth, Ceredigion, SY23 3AL. Tel.  01970 622248  Organic Centre Wales and its partners cannot accept any responsibility for the consequences of any actions taken on the basis of its factsheets or other publications. Information on the relationship between the Organic Farming Scheme and Tir Gofal Is it possible for me to enter land into both Tir Gofal and the OFS at the same time?  Yes. The OFS is designed to assist with the costs of adopting a farming system which avoids the use of inorganic fertilisers and synthetic pesticides. The purpose of the Tir Gofal Scheme is to encourage the sustainable management of wildlife habitats, traditional landscapes and public access to the countryside. The two schemes are complementary with applications from organic farmers and those in conversion receiving an additional 25 points when scored for eligibility to enter Tir Gofal. Will my total payment be affected if I join both schemes at once?  Yes. Participants in the OFS are obliged to comply with the environmental management prescriptions listed in Appendix 2 of the OFS Explanatory Booklet. Since some of these prescriptions overlap with the requirements of Tir Gofal, the payments you receive under whichever scheme you join last will have to be reduced if you hold both an OFS and Tir Gofal agreement at the same time. Further details can be found in Appendix 6 of the OFS Explanatory Booklet. Are the principles underlying organic farming directly applicable to Tir Gofal?        Much organic farming practice is compatible with the requirements of Tir Gofal, but on occasion the use of clover to build soil fertility can be inappropriate. The Tir Gofal prescriptions for existing wildlife habitats (including semi-improved grassland) and for habitat creation are designed to reduce soil fertility and this requirement is reflected in the payment rates. The direct drilling of clovers into either existing or newly created habitats is not acceptable, but there are no difficulties with using clover to build up the fertility of your improved land. The crop rotations typical of many organic farms are compatible with Tir Gofal provided no existing wildlife habitats are damaged (this is also a requirement of the OFS). Where a Tir Gofal agreement includes so much semi-improved grassland that it is impossible to devise a satisfactory rotation, it may be possible to amend the agreement prior to entering the OFS on the grounds that there is a substantial environmental benefit from participating in both schemes at once.  Traditional methods of weed control in grassland, such as the thistle topping, are acceptable under a Tir Gofal agreement.   What about arable farming? Wheat, barley, oats, triticale and rye grown for grain all qualify for the Tir Gofal Prescription No 24 (Unsprayed Cereals, Rape and Linseed Crops). If you are growing cereals on land which was formerly part of an all-grass farm, you may qualify for a higher rate of payment under Prescription 24. Peas and beans grown separately do not qualify under Prescription 24, but they can be mixed into cereals provided they form less than half of the sowing mix by weight. Peas and beans can also be grown as part of Prescription 26 (Undersown Spring Cereals). Cereals, linseed, oilseed rape, forage rape, peas, beans, lupins and triticale all qualify for Tir Gofal Prescription No 25 (Winter Stubbles) provided all other scheme prescriptions are complied with. It is not acceptable to grow green manures within Tir Gofal stubble crops and the annual payment reflects this requirement.  All Tir Gofal arable payments are made in return for providing an agreed area of the specified prescription in each year of the agreement. The location of the specified crop can be rotated around the farm, but the payment cannot be altered from one year to another – even if the field size varies as the rotation proceeds.  It is anticipated that there will be changes relating to Farming Connect and associated services early in 2007.  OCW  would like to acknowledge the help of the Countryside Council for Wales in preparing this factsheet.       Canolfan Organig Cymru · Ffeithlen Rhif 2 · Rhagfyr 2006 Cyhoeddwyd gan Canolfan Organig Cymru, Sefydliad y Gwyddorau Gwledig, Prifysgol Cymru Aberystwyth, Ceredigion SA23 3AL. Ffon 01970 622248 Ni all Canolfan Organig Cymru a’i phartneriaid dderbyn cyfrifoldeb am ganlyniadau unrhyw gamau a gymerir ar sail cynnwys ei ffeithlenni na chyhoeddiadau eraill. Gwybodaeth am y berthynas rhwng y Cynllun Ffermio Organig a Thir Gofal A gaf i gynnig tir i’r Cynllun Tir Gofal a’r Cynllun Ffermio Organig (CFfO) ar yr un pryd? Cewch. Bwriad y CFfO yw cynorthwyo â’r costau wrth fabwysiadu system ffermio sy’n osgoi defnyddio gwrteithiau anorganig a plaleiddiaid synthetig.  Diben cynllun Tir Gofal yw annog rheoli cynefinoedd bywyd gwyllt, y tirlun traddodiadol a mynediad cyhoeddus i gefn gwlad, a hynny mewn ffordd gynaladwy.  Mae’r nail gynllun yn gymar i’r llall, gyda cheisiadau gan ffermwyr organig a’r rheini sydd wrthi’n trosi’n derbyn 25 pwynt yn ychwanegol wrth gael eu sgorio o ran eu cymhwyster i ymuno â’r Cynllun Tir Gofal. A fydd y cyfanswm sy’n cael ei dalu i mi’n cael ei effeithio os byddaf yn ymuno â’r ddau gynllun ar yr un pryd?  Bydd. Rhaid i bobl sy’n ymuno â’r CFfO gydymffurfio â’r gorchmynion rheolaeth amgylcheddol a restrir yn Atodiad 2 yn Llyfryn Esboniadol y CFfO.  Gan fod rhai o’r gorchmynion hyn yn gorgyffwrdd â gofynion Tir Gofal, bydd yn lleihau’r taliad y byddwch yn ei dderbyn o dan ba bynnag gynllun y byddwch yn ymuno ag ef olaf, os ydych yn dal cytundeb CFfO a Thir Gofal ar yr un pryd. Ceir manylion pellach yn Atodiad 6 yn y Llyfryn Esboniadol. A yw’r egwyddorion sydd wrth wraidd ffermio organig yr un mor berthnasol i ofynion Tir Gofal?        Mae llawer iawn o ymarfer ffermio organig yn gymhathus â gofynion Tir Gofal.  Fodd bynnag, ar adegau, gall defnyddio meillion er mwyn meithrin ffrwythlondeb y pridd fod yn anaddas.  Bwriad gorchmynion Tir Gofal ar gyfer cynefinoedd bywyd gwyllt sydd eisoes yn bod (gan gynnwys tir glas sydd wedi’i led wella), ac ar gyfer creu cynefin, yw lleihau ffrwythlondeb y pridd. Adlewyrchir y gofyn yma yng nghyfraddau’r taliadau.  Nid yw drilio meillion yn uniongyrchol i naill ai cynefin sydd ar gael yn barod, neu sydd wedi’i greu, yn dderbyniol, ond nid oes unrhyw anawsterau wrth ddefnyddio meillion i feithrin ffrwythlondeb y tir rydych wedi’i wella. Mae cylchdroadau cnydau nodweddiadol ar lawer iawn o ffermydd organig yn gymhathus â Thir Gofal, ar yr amod, nad oes unrhyw ddifrod i gynefinoedd bywyd gwyllt sydd eisoes yn bodoli (dyma un o ofynion y CFfO hefyd). Tra bydd cytundeb Tir Gofal yn cynnwys cymaint o dir glas wedi’i led wella hyd nes ei bod yn amhosibl dyfeisio cylchdroad boddhaol, mae’n bosibl, cyn ymuno â CFfO, i newid y cytundeb ar sail fod budd amgylcheddol sylweddol yn deillio o gymryd rhan yn y ddau gynllun ar yr un pryd.  Mae dulliau rheoli chwyn traddodiadol ar dir glas, fel brig-dorri’r ysgall, yn dderbyniol o dan gytundeb Tir Gofal.   Beth am ffermio âr? Mae gwenith, barlys, ceirch, rhygwenith a rhyg a dyfir ar gyfer grawn, i gyd yn gymwys i Orchymyn Tir Gofal Rhif 24 (Cnydau Grawn heb ei Chwistrellu, Cnydau Rêp a Had Llin). Dylid nodi os ydych yn tyfu cnydau grawn ar dir a fu gynt yn rhan o fferm gyfan o dir glas, efallai y byddwch yn gymwys ar gyfer tâl uwch o dan Orchymyn 24. Nid yw pys a ffa a dyfir ar wahân yn gymwys o dan Orchymyn 24, ond gellir eu cymysgu i mewn i gnydau grawn ar yr amod eu bod yn ffurfio llai na hanner y cymysgedd hau yn ol y pwysau. Gellir tyfu pys a ffa hefyd fel rhan o Orchymyn 26 (Cnydau Grawn Gwanwyn wedi’u Tanhadu). Mae cnydau grawn, had llin, rêp had olew, rêp porthi, pys, ffa, bys y blaidd a rhygwenith yn gymwys ar gyfer Gorchymyn Tir Gofal Rhif 25 (Sofl y Gaeaf) ar yr amod y cydymffurfir â phob gorchymyn arall y cynllun.  Nid yw’n dderbyniol tyfu gwrteithiau gwyrdd mewn cnydau sofl Tir Gofal, a bydd y taliad blynyddol yn adlewyrchu’r gofyn hwn. Mae holl daliadau âr Tir Gofal yn cael eu gwneud am ddarparu arwynebedd penodedig yn ôl y gorchymyn penodol ym mhob blwyddyn o’r cytundeb.  Gellir cylchdroi lleoliad y cnwd dan sylw o gwmpas y fferm, ond ni ellir newid y taliad o’r naill flwyddyn i’r llall – hyd yn oed os bydd maint cae’n amrywio wrth i’r cylchdroad fynd rhagddo.  Yr ydym yn rhagweld y bydd newidiadau yn ymwneud â Chyswllt Ffermio a gwasanaethau cysylltiedig yn gynnar yn 2007.  Dymuna Canolfan Organig Cymru gydnabod cymorth Cyngor Cefn Gwlad Cymru wrth baratoi’r daflen hon.  

Organic Centre Wales Factsheet 2: Information on the relationship between the Organic Farming Scheme and Tir Gofal

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