SIC 01.61 5,300 enterprises in the UK
Support activities for crop production
What this covers (20 activity descriptions)
- Agricultural contracting
- Agricultural land maintenance in good agricultural and environmental condition
- Agricultural machinery and equipment rental with operator
- Beet thinning on a fee or contract basis
- Crop establishing for subsequent crop production
- Crop harvesting and preparation
- Crop production support activities
- Crop spraying on a fee or contract basis
- Crop treatment on a fee or contract basis
- Fencing by agricultural contractor
- Field preparation on a fee or contract basis
- Fruit tree and vine trimming
- Irrigation systems operation on a fee or contract basis
- Mole catching contractors on agricultural land
- Pest control in connection with agriculture
- Rabbit destroying and trapping on agricultural land
- Rat destroying and trapping on agricultural land
- Rice transplanting
- Rodent destroying and trapping on agricultural land
- Threshing by contractor
What you must comply with
Unique to support activities for crop production
NROSO membership (spraying operators register)
All professional users of plant protection products must be on the National Register of Sprayer Operators (NROSO) or hold appropriate certificates. Annual CPD requirement.
Agricultural vehicle road use requirements
Agricultural vehicles used on roads must be registered, insured and comply with lighting/width regulations. MOT exempt if used within 15 miles of farm. Category F driving licence needed for agricultural tractors.
Applies to all support activities to agriculture and post-harvest crop activities
Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974
General duties to employees and others. Agriculture is one of the highest-risk sectors — farm fatality rate is 20x the all-industry average. HSENI enforces in Northern Ireland.
RIDDOR 2013 (farm accident reporting)
Must report work-related deaths, specified injuries, over-7-day incapacitation, occupational diseases and dangerous occurrences. Self-employed persons working on agricultural premises are covered.
Employers' Liability Insurance
Required for all employers. Sole traders and family farms with no employees exempt.
Plant Protection Products (pesticide) regulations
All professional users must hold a specified certificate of competence (PA1/PA2 etc.). Products must be authorised by HSE Chemicals Regulation Division. Spray equipment must be tested every 5 years (NSTS). Pesticide records must be kept.
Red diesel entitlement (rebated fuel)
Agriculture retains red diesel entitlement for off-road vehicles and machinery. Must keep fuel records. Misuse (e.g. road vehicles) carries penalties up to £500 per offence plus duty owed.
Guidance for this activity
Comply with livestock movement standstill periods
Legal requirements for standstill periods after livestock arrive on your holding. Covers standstill lengths by species, exemptions, and penalties for breaching standstill rules for disease control.
Read guidePrepare for farm inspections and audits
How to prepare for regulatory inspections and farm assurance audits. Covers which bodies inspect farms, what triggers inspections, your rights during visits, and how to build a good compliance track record that can reduce inspection frequency.
Read guideIdentify and tag livestock correctly
Legal requirements for identifying and tagging cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, and deer. Includes species-specific tagging deadlines, tag specifications, passport requirements, and replacement rules.
Read guideHost weddings and events on your farm
How to set up and run a farm wedding or event venue. Covers planning permission, licensing, fire safety, insurance, and food safety requirements for converting agricultural buildings to event spaces.
Read guideReport livestock movements and comply with standstill rules
How to report cattle, sheep, goat, pig, and deer movements using government traceability systems. Includes reporting deadlines, standstill periods, and required documentation for disease control compliance.
Read guideCommercial fishing licence and compliance
How to get a commercial fishing licence and comply with UK fishing regulations. Covers vessel licensing, quota allocation, catch recording, I-VMS requirements, and fish export certificates.
Read guideSet up equestrian or livery services on your farm
How to comply with VAT, licensing, and insurance requirements when offering livery, riding lessons, or equestrian facilities. Covers VAT treatment, riding establishment licensing, and specialist insurance needs.
Read guideKeep holding registers for livestock
Legal requirements for recording livestock identification, movements, births, deaths, and annual inventories. Covers cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, and deer with species-specific deadlines and retention periods.
Read guideBiocides and Pesticides Authorisation
Get HSE CRD authorisation for biocidal and pesticidal products.
Read guideRecognise and report notifiable animal diseases
How to identify signs of notifiable diseases in livestock and report suspected cases to APHA. Covers bovine TB, avian influenza, foot-and-mouth, swine fever, and other notifiable diseases with immediate reporting requirements.
Read guideAgricultural tenancy rights in Scotland
Comprehensive guide to agricultural tenancy law in Scotland, covering both the 1991 Act (pre-2003 secure tenancies) and 2003 Act (SLDT, LDT, MLT) tenancy types. Includes rent review procedures, notice periods, succession rights, waygoing compensation, and Scottish Land Court jurisdiction.
Read guideSet up camping or glamping on your farm
How to comply with planning permission, licensing, and safety requirements when offering camping or glamping on agricultural land. Covers the 60-day exemption, caravan site licensing, and glamping-specific regulations.
Read guideSFI closure and transition to future farming schemes
What the SFI closure means for farmers and how to plan for the transition. Covers what happens to existing agreements, options during the closure period, the reformed SFI 2026 offer, and alternative funding including Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier and Capital Grants. Essential guidance for farmers affected by the March 2025 SFI closure.
Read guideComply with farming environmental regulations
How to comply with environmental regulations for fertiliser storage and application, pesticide use, cross-compliance standards, and nutrient management planning. Covers Nitrate Vulnerable Zones, BASIS certification, GAEC standards, and RB209 nutrient planning.
Read guideUnderstand farm rules after cross-compliance ended
What environmental, animal health, and land management rules still apply to farms now that cross-compliance has ended. Explains how enforcement changed in January 2024 and which regulators are responsible for what.
Read guideSet up and run a compliant farm shop
How to register, comply with food safety, and handle VAT when selling produce directly from your farm. Covers food business registration, HACCP requirements, and VAT treatment of different products.
Read guideRegister land to keep livestock
How to obtain a County Parish Holding (CPH) number before keeping cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, or poultry. Includes registration process, required information, and herd/flock mark allocation.
Read guideInstall renewable energy on your farm
How to get planning permission and financial support for solar panels, wind turbines, and other renewable energy on agricultural land. Covers permitted development limits, agricultural land classification, and the Smart Export Guarantee.
Read guideComply with Farming Rules for Water
How to comply with the 8 Farming Rules for Water that apply to all farmers in England. Covers planning fertiliser applications, soil testing requirements, buffer zones near water, prohibited spreading conditions, manure storage, livestock management, soil erosion prevention, and enforcement by the Environment Agency.
Read guidePrepare for the end of BPS delinked payments
What farmers need to know as delinked payments end in 2027. Covers payment reduction schedules (76% in 2025, 98% in 2026-2027), reference amount calculations, key dates, and how to replace lost income through Environmental Land Management schemes and other funding options.
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