OT4: Organic land management - horticulture - GOV.UK
Find out about eligibility and requirements for the organic land management - horticulture option.
Contents
- How much will be paid
- Where to use this option
- Related Mid Tier options
- How this option will benefit the environment
- Aims
- Prohibited activities
- Recommended management
- Keeping records
- Additional guidance and advice
- Further information
How much will be paid
£707 per hectare (ha)
Where to use this option
Available for Countryside Stewardship Mid Tier and Higher Tier
- Whole or part-parcel
- Rotational
Only on:
- land registered as ‘fully organic’ by a Defra-licensed organic control body
- land parcels that have been cultivated in the preceding 7 years
Other Countryside Stewardship options and supplements relevant to arable and rotational land management may be used on the same land area where eligibility rules allow.
How this option will benefit the environment
Maintains land under organic management, providing a wide range of environmental and public benefits.
If successful you should see these benefits increase and the organic area maintained.
Aims
If you’re selected for a site visit, we will check that delivery of the aims is being met and the prohibited activities have not been carried out. This will ensure the environmental benefits are being delivered.
There will be at least 1 horticultural crop in each field parcel. There will be a maximum area of 20ha of this option in the agreement.
During the rotation at least 40% of the area entered for this option will be in horticultural production.
Organic standards will be adhered to for the duration of the agreement.
Prohibited activities
To achieve the aims and deliver the environmental benefits, do not carry out any of the following activities.
On your annual claim you will be asked to declare that you have not carried out any prohibited activities.
Recommended management
To assist you in achieving the aims and deliver the environmental benefits for this option, we recommend that you use best practice.
We recommend that you:
- maintain the total hectarage (area) that was committed to at the beginning of the agreement for the whole of the agreement
- keep at least 40% of the area entered for this option in horticultural production with produce for human consumption at any single stage of the rotation
Keeping records
Where there is uncertainty about whether the aims of the options have been delivered, we will take into account any records or evidence you may have kept demonstrating delivery of the aims of the option. This will include any steps you’ve taken to follow the recommended management set out above. It’s your responsibility to keep such records if you want to rely on these to support your claim.
- A valid organic certificate and schedule for all the parcels entered into this option at application and on their annual claim
- An up-to-date conversion plan approved by an organic control body
- Farm records to show that any permanent grassland parcels entered for this option have been cultivated within the previous 7 years
Additional guidance and advice
The following advice is helpful, but they are not requirements for this item.
Permanent ineligible features may be eligible as part of the option area if registered with a control body.
Further information
Read Countryside Stewardship: get funding to protect and improve the land you manage to find out more information about Mid Tier and Higher Tier including how to apply.
Published 2 April 2015
Last updated 4 January 2024 + show all updates
- 18 December 2023
Update to How Much Is Paid
- 23 August 2023
Can be used on rotational land
- 15 August 2023
Removed 'Rotational' from 'Where to use this option'.
- 15 July 2022
Organic evidence is no longer required for BPS
- 8 February 2022
New payment rate from 1 January 2022.
- 5 February 2021
OT4 option updated
- 7 March 2017
Updated for 2017 applications.
- 29 March 2016
Information updated for applications in 2016.
- 2 April 2015
First published.