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Made under section 18 of the Agriculture Act 1986 which gives the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the power to designate an area of England as an environmentally sensitive area, this Order provides for an agreement between the Minister and a farmer. In the designated area prescribed agricultural methods shall be adopted so as to conserve, protect or enhance environmental features in that area. For this purpose the Minister may enter into a management agreement with any person having an interest in agricultural land in any designated area. The Order specifies requirements as to agricultural practices, methods and operations and the installation or use of equipment which must be included in such agreement. These Agreements are also subject to Commission Regulation (EC) No. 746/96 laying down detailed rules for the application of the Council Regulation 2078/92. Schedule 1 specifies requirements which shall be included in the Agreement. Schedules 2 to 5 specify additional requirements which shall be undertaken against payments listed in Schedule 8. The Agreement may include a conservation plan of which the requirements are set out in Schedule 7. Undertakings by the farmer under the agreement may relate to grazing, ploughing, use of fertilizer, disposal of sheep, maintaining of stockproof walls and weatherproof field barns, and the conservation of sites of historic interests.
