The deadline of Monday 31 May for sowing wild bird cover under the Green Low-Carbon Agri-Environmental Scheme (GLAS) is fast approaching.

Thankfully, reports indicate that a high volume of work had been completed before the torrential rainfall which fell on many parts of the country on Thursday and into Friday.

The forecast for early next week also points to significant rainfall volumes, but hopefully there will be a more settled spell to follow to get seed into the ground.

Options

Farmers have two options – sow a one-year or two-year mix.

The one-year mix must contain a cereal (oats, barley, wheat or triticale) and at least one species from the following: oilseed rape, linseed and mustard.

The two-year mix must contain a cereal (oats, barley, wheat or triticale) and kale.

Reports also indicate that many farmers have opted to sow a one-year mix due to the fact they have secured a one-year extension to their GLAS contracts.

Some are gambling on this extension rolling over again into 2022, with the European Commission granting approval under transitional arrangements for schemes to roll over and recent confirmation that a new flagship agri-environmental scheme will not commence until 2023.