Organic Farming

In Scotland, the Scottish Government Organic Aid Scheme (OAS) provides the following payments on a per hectare basis over a five year period:

	Year 1	Year 2	Year 3	Year 4	Year 5	Total
	(£/ha)	(£/ha)	(£/ha)	(£/ha)	(£/ha)	(£/ha)
Arable Land	220	220	60	60	60	620
Land in vegetable or fruit production	300	300	60	60	60	780
Other cropped land and improved grassland	120	120	60	60	60	420
Rough grazing	5	5	5	5	5	37

There is a 300 hectare upper limit on arable and improved grassland, and a higher upper limit of 1000 hectares for rough grazing (and/or a combination of AAPS, improved grassland and rough grazing). Arable land is defined as land which has had an arable crop in at least one of the five years prior to 15 May 2006.

The deadline for applications to the Scottish Government is 31 March, and you should also have your application for the certification body ready at that time, but you do not need to start converting until after the Scottish Government has given you conditional acceptance into the Scheme (by September). You will then have to start conversion and submit to the Scottish Government your formal acceptance by the certification body before 31 March in the following year.