Implementation of the green payment within the scheme of the new Common Agricultural Policy (2015-2020): first results for 2015 in Wallonia (South of Belgium)

At the end of 2013, a new Common Agricultural Policy was defined at the European level, including the implementation of the so-called “green payment”, which obliges farmers to respect three new conditions in order to get financial support through direct payments. The year 2015 being the first implementation year, the consequences on Walloon agriculture are examined. It appears that 50% of Walloon farmers are not obliged to practice crop diversification, while 16% are obliged to have at least two crops on their arable land and 33% are obliged to have at least three crops on their arable land. Less than 1% does not respect the new diversification rules. Concerning the obligation to have at least 5% of ecological focus area on the arable land, it appears that 54% of Walloon farmers are in conditions not to be obliged to respect the measure. When they implement the measure, the percentage of ecological focus areas in arable land reaches 6.9% as a mean and 2.4% do not reach the requested 5%. Finally, it can be said that the green payment does not represent a big constraint for Walloon farmers, though eventual economic consequences are still to be precised, while environmental benefits are strengthened.