Charles Mayson, Chairman of CXCS Ltd visited Plumpton College in East Sussex last week to lead talks with third year Agricultural Students. During the talks Charles discussed the history of Cross Compliance arrangements, suggestions for how to assemble a Nutrient Management Plan, the impact and requirements of NVZ legislation and a thorough line by line explanation of each of the cross compliance regulations.
Charles then generated some class interaction with a problem solving section which was very well contributed to by the students and rounded off the session with a Q&A which gave the students the opportunity to clarify any points from the discussion or ask any further questions that they had.
Andrew Ellis, Agricultural Lecturer from Plumpton College recaps on the day.
Our current 3rd year, level three Extended Diploma students are studying a module which is all about farming and how this fits in with the wider environment. In the developed world farming is supported by governments, for reasons of national food security, a stable supply of agricultural commodities and to support farmers’ incomes. Payments are paid to farmers through the Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) via the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).
In order to claim their money the CAP requires farmers to follow rules called ‘Cross Compliance’. These rules are complicated and divided into Statutory Management Regulations and GAEC (Good Agricultural and Environmental Conditions). These rules are inspected and if not complied with result in a fine to the farmer.
Charles Mayson is the Chairman of CXCS, a company that specialises in compiling and presenting this information from farms for the inspectors.
I met Charles in reception and welcomed him to the college. Charles was very interested in the college and asked many questions about each enterprise. He asked for some advice as to how the students may receive him as he is traditional in his approach to giving presentations.
Charles met the students and gave two lectures, of an hour and a quarter each, to both our livestock and arable group. The students were extremely interested in what he had to say as most of them have not had much to do with the paperwork side of farming. Coupled with Charles’ good sense of humour and practical hands-on style, the students asked many interesting questions and we all learnt a great deal.
Afterwards, Charles was very complimentary about our students saying he had not been expecting so much interest or questioning from them.
