Beneficiaries

The premium can be requested by: 

• peasants; 
• farmers' associations. 

The application for the premium is limited: 

• areas designated under the Natura 2000 network; 
• the areas affected by the implementation of Directives 92/43/EEC and 2009/147/EC;
• a minimum area of 0,5 hectares.

Objectives

The Sub-measure is aimed at tackling the loss of steppe habitats also through the restoration of soil quality with carbon enrichment.

Commitments 

When you’ll receive the premium, you’ll commit yourself to: 

• convert arable land to pasture, meadow pasture, meadow; 
• not to include the area converted in the ordinary crop rotations carried out on the holding; 
• graze and/or haymake, harvest and storage of the fodder obtained; 
• to maintain, in case of grazing, a load of livestock not exceeding 1,5 livestock units Adult per hectare in zones not vulnerable to nitrates and 1 livestock unit Adult per hectare in zones vulnerable to nitrates (however, in both cases, not less than 0,25 livestock units Adult per hectare).

Selection principles

There is no minimum admissible score. The score cannot be accumulated. The 100 points are assigned in the territorial scope according to the location of the agricultural areas in the preferential areas.
The beneficiaries and the types of operations activated are not relevant for the purposes of scoring.

In the case of farms falling within more than one type of preferential area, indicated among the territorial areas, the score will be assigned in proportion to the territory falling within the areas. In the event of equal points, priority will be given to applications for support for varieties with a level of risk of 2 in descending order of area occupied by the same.

Amount of the premium 

The annual premium paid per hectare of committed area will be 328. 8 euros.