Order No. 1544 on subsidy to farmers.

This Order sets regulations on financial support to farmers. It applies to specific requirements on several crop categories, to the environmental focus areas and maintenance of permanent pasture. The Order also applies to annual payment of financial subsidy to young farmers and farmers whose holdings are fully or partly situated in natural area limits. Transfers of payment shall be notified electronically to the Danish AgriFish Agency. Criteria for eligibility include the allowance of subsidy which shall only be granted to farmers with areas measuring minimum 2 hectares. For farmers receiving bovine premiums may be granted subsidy for areas measuring less than 2 hectares, if the total amount of grants equals to at least EUR 300. An agricultural parcel applying for subsidy, must form a continuous (if between parts of the area within the same block exists a buffer passage of at least four meters wide) minimum area of 0.30 hectares. Buffer zones are only eligible if their whole length is related to another eligible area. Subsidy requiring agricultural land should under normal weather conditions be grown and harvested in the period from 15 May to 15 September. Areas with permanent grass and grass in rotation should be cut at least once a year within 1 June and 15 September. Areas with the following crops may be used as environmental focus areas in the form of cover crops in the year of subsidy application: 1) grass and other herbaceous plants traditionally found in natural pastures or normally included in grass seed mixes. 2) mixtures of cover crops with the same sowing period.
The Order consists of 11 Chapters: Scope and definitions (1); Payment (2); National reserve (3); General provisions (4); Green requirements (5); Young farmers (6); Areas with natural constraints (eco-support) (7); Transfer of holdings (8); Inspection (9); Penalties (10); Entry into force and transitional provisions (11).