Facts and figures CAP greening.
Abstract
The adapted Common Agricultural Policy started in 2015 with changes to direct income support for farmers. Only if sufficient 'greening' activities are carried out on a farm will the farmer receive the greening premium (30% of total premium) on top of the basic premium. The greening measures include having a minimu number of crops, maintaining permanent grasslands (no ploughing), and a minimum size for ecologically important areas. Organic farms are considered to alreay fulfill these greening measures. The EU paid in 2015 more than 700 million Euros in direct support of which 30% was due to fulfilling the greenening aspect. In 2015, 42 802 Dutch farmers implemented at least one greening measures and this was 40 503 in 2016. At least 13 000 farmers had to grow more than one crop to fulfill the greening criterium.