Rural Payments and Services

Online data entry (LPIDs, lengths, areas, etc)

Farm Environment Assessment (FEA) - nearly all applications require the items below. Please read the FEA guidance carefully to find out which items you need. Note that these items must show the current situation and not simply be copies of versions submitted with an earlier application.

• Farm Environment Map
• Farm Management Map
• Farm Environment Table

• Diffuse Pollution Field Map (can be incorporated in Farm Environment Map)
• Diffuse Pollution Table (can be incorporated in Farm Environment Table)
• Diffuse Pollution Management Map (can be incorporated in Farm Environment Management Map)

• Certain water quality options require the following:
  1) A Diffuse Pollution Steading Assessment Map
  2) A Diffuse Pollution Steading Management Map
  3) A Diffuse Pollution Steading Management table

All moorland applications require the following:

• Moorland Management Plan (using the latest template provided). This MUST include an updated, detailed habitat condition assessment of the moorland habitats.
• Map or maps showing current condition and extent of moorland habitats, at an appropriate scale
• Map of access routes and supplementary feed sites where relevant
• Map or maps showing where the proposed management activities will take place
• Heft map if applicable

Other moorland plans maps and records may be required (using the templates provided):

Muirburn and Heather Cutting Plan and Map –The Muirburn and Heather Cutting capital items are not available in the 2023 AECS round. If you plan to undertake muirburn or heather cutting at your own expense on a designated site within your AECS application area, during the lifetime of the AECS contract, you MUST submit a Muirburn Plan, so that there is a record of where and when work will take place, to allow the case officer to assess whether this is appropriate to the site. For non-designated sites, you must provide detail within the Moorland management plan of any muirburn you intend to undertake.

• Peatland Restoration Plan and Map
• Bracken Management Plan and Map
• Deer Management Plan
• Predator Control Plan and Map
• Flock records (if applying for Stock Disposal or Away wintering)

* Primary Treatment of Bracken Mechanised or Chemical and Follow-up treatment of Bracken Mechanised or Chemical are both suspended for new applications in 2023

Note: The Moorland Management option webpage has examples of maps and plans.

Check the requirements for the individual options and capital items that you are applying for

• Wader Management Plan
• Wader survey form, if applicable
• Grazing Management Plan
• Hedgerow Management Plan
• Lowland Raised Bog Management Plan
• Scrub Control Plan
• Chough Management Plan
• Cropped Machair Management Plan
• Bracken Management Plan and Map*
• Grass Strips in Arable Fields – summary template
• Water Margins – summary table
• Predator Control Plan and Map
• Invasive Plants Management Plan
• Rhododendron Control Plan
• Rotation map of arable / grassland options (if too complex to show on management map

* Primary Treatment of Bracken Mechanised or Chemical and Follow-up treatment of Bracken Mechanised or Chemical are both suspended for new applications in 2023

Plans and maps for Capital Items:

• There are specific plan or map requirements for some capital items. Please refer to the individual capital item webpages.

• Landlord Declaration Form – see Occupancy of land guidance
• Copy of lease – see Occupancy of land guidance
• Contractual Licence - for third-party applicants
• Shared Boundary Agreement for march fence or restoring drystone or flagstone dykes

• Endorsement Form containing an endorsement from NatureScot if proposing to carry out options or capital items outwith their target areas – see targeting tool page and see Endorsements guidance. Endorsements are only available for certain options or where the work is required to benefit the notified features of a designated site. Endorsements have to be obtained from NatureScot before an application is submitted.
• Endorsement Form containing an endorsement from NatureScot if applying for the Species-rich Grassland Management or Habitat mosaic management option on hill and upland rough grazing land
• Any consents and licences received from regulatory authorities, where applicable
• Ecological survey report for protected species where relevant
• Letter of approval from NatureScot or Scottish Environment Protection Agency if required as part of the eligibility requirements of a capital item
• If you are applying for any actual cost capital items, you must submit a Quotations table and the quotes received and also the specification that you provided when seeking quote (for full details of requirements please see Quotes section in 'Further requirements for applicants'
• if your application is part of a collaborative project you must submit the Collaborative Management Plan (CMP) and collaborative maps, as provided to you by the person leading the collaborative project – see scoring guidance.
• To score points for supporting vulnerable species, the Vulnerable Priority Species Recording Form must be submitted - see Vulnerable Priority Species supporting guidance.

Crofting applicants may also need to provide some of the following:

If you are a grazing clerk, applying on behalf of a grazing committee, your application must include the following supporting information:

• the written consent of a majority of the crofters with shares in the common grazing
• evidence that notice of the intention to submit an application and the proposed division of the grant amongst the eligible crofters has been issued by the grazings committee or constable to all shareholders sharing in the common grazings

If you are an official sub-tenant of a croft which falls within the jurisdiction of the Crofting Commission:

• a copy of the letter issued by the Crofting Commission confirming the approval of the sub-let and its duration – this is an acceptable alternative to the landlord declaration or copy of the lease - see Occupancy of land guidance

Applicants need to consider additional requirements and provide the following at the time of application or as specified:

All Organic Conversion applications

• Farm Map showing the LPIDs to be converted
• Organic Viability Proposal endorsed by an organic certification body
• For organic conversion applications that also include agri-environment options or the organic maintenance option, you will have to submit the required supporting documents for those management options.
• For organic conversion application that also include agri-environment options, you should ensure the options are compatible – see Double funding and option incompatibility page
• To be allocated extra points against the ‘National Priority’ scoring criteria at least 25 per cent of your permanently held land will have to be managed under the ‘organic conversion’ option

Organic conversion applicants also need to note the following:

You must liaise with your organic certification body to ensure you are compliant with the organic requirements before you apply to AECS, before you commence organic conversion and for the duration of your AECS contract. If your AECS application is successful:

1. Your organic certification body will require you to submit to them a full conversion plan for approval, prior to your organic start date

2. Your organic start date must be approved by your organic certification body before you commence conversion, but also refer to the AECS Organic Farming conversion requirements

3. Once you have received your official letter confirming your organic start date from your organic certification body, you should forward this to your local Area Office.

All Organic Maintenance applications

• Farm Map illustrating the LPIDs to be maintained under organic status
• valid Organic certificate
• Current Organic Schedule of LPIDs from your organic certification body
• If your organic maintenance application also includes agri-environment options or organic conversion of additional land, you will have to submit the required supporting documents for those management options.
• If your organic maintenance application also includes agri-environment options, you should ensure the options are compatible
• To be allocated extra points against the ‘National Priority’ scoring criteria at least 75 per cent of your permanently held land will have to be managed under the 'organic maintenance' option

Applications for Slurry Storage require:

• Manure & Slurry Management Plan
• Steading Drainage Assessment Plan.

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