Glastir Organic

Organic Maintenance & Conversion

Introduction

Support for organic maintenance & conversion in Wales is under Glastir and the payment rates have greatly improved under the new Rural Development Plan for Wales. Glastir Organic is open to farmers and growers who wish to convert to organic production and to existing producers who meet the eligibility criteria. This document provides the main details on Glastir Organic.

Further details can be found in

Organic maintenance & conversion options in Glastir

Glastir Organic has replaced all previous organic support schemes in Wales. As part of the application process producers must register their land with an organic certification body, such as Soil Association Certification before submitting their application.

Application is competitive and will be scored against the Welsh Government’s objectives for positive environmental land management.

Organic management/Business plan

An organic business plan must be provided to the Welsh Government by 31 December 2016, and the plan must include:

  • Organic farming system plan – livestock numbers and cropping
  • Livestock health plan
  • Crop rotations
  • Crop pest & disease control plan
  • Future development plan

The Welsh Government has produced a template to help; this can be found at the link below.

Glastir Organic Payment Rates

Conversion / Maintenance 1-5 years
Years 1-2 / Years 3-5
Horticulture / £600/ha / £400/ha / £400/ha
Enclosed Land / £130/ha / £65/ha / £65/ha
Rough Grazing / £15/ha / £15/ha / £15/ha

There will also be financial support for the cost of certification up to a maximum of £500 per agreement.

How to apply

Application is electronic only using RPW Online.

Guidance on completing the application form is available from www.wales.gov.uk/rpwonline .

If you do not have access to broadband and/or need further help, ring the Customer Contact Centre on 0300 062 5004.

Greening

The introduction of the Greening requirement to the new Basic Payment Scheme requires farmers to comply with the new greening measures to qualify for 30% of the BPS payment.

Organic land is ‘green by default’ including in conversion land. This means organic farms automatically qualify for the 30% of BPS payments and won’t have to get to grips with all the Ecological Focus Area and Crop Diversification rules.

With £65 per hectare for organic maintenance on rotational land plus the 30% of the BPS for Greening, being organic will add substantially to farm incomes.

Contact

Tim Bevan. Soil Association. 0117 9142417

Tommy Copestake