Farmers are following the rules on cattle identification more carefully than ever, according to statistics out today.

This is encouraging in contrast to previous years where there has been a steady increase in cross compliance failures under cattle identification.

The Rural Payments Agency has published a list of the most common cross compliance breaches on its website today at rpa.defra.gov.uk The statistics show a breakdown of the non-compliances found under each Statutory Management Requirement (SMR) and Good Agricultural and Environmental Condition (GAEC) during cross-compliance inspections carried out in the 2010 calendar year. They also show an individual table showing the number and level of reductions applied to farmers’ claims.

In 2010, the percentage of holdings found at inspection to have cattle identification breaches reduced to 44.6 per cent from a high of 51.2 per cent the year before.

Russell Graham, of RPA’s Cross Compliance unit said:

“We’re pleased to see more farmers playing their part in disease management by following the rules on cattle movement closely. We hope this is in part thanks to the self-service phone line and online reporting services now offered by the British Cattle Movement Service, which are designed to make it easy for farmers to comply.”

There were also a notable reduction in breaches under the animal welfare SMR, thanks to better record-keeping in terms of medicines and mortalities.

Elsewhere, there is a general increase in failures under the GAECs, particularly due to farmers not completing the Soil Protection Review. A number of farmers were also found to have breached the new water abstraction GAEC. There was also an increase in failures under the Nitrate Vulnerable Zones SMR due to farmers not following the new rules.

The approximate value of all cross compliance reductions made under the Single Payment Scheme in 2010 is £2,072,620.

Further guidance and assistance with complying with the cross compliance rules can be obtained from the Cross Compliance Technical Helpline helpline. You can find details at crosscompliance.org.uk or by calling 0845 345 1302.