FARM organisations have won concessions on what non-agricultural activities can take place on farm land.

Defra planned to restrict such activities to just five days during the ten-month qualifying period for the Single Farm Payment scheme but, after intense lobbying from the CLA, NFU and other organisations, the Government has relented.

The CLA said the proposed five-day restriction - to be operated unless written permission was sought and approved - would have been unnecessary and punitive, severely limiting the role many farmers played in the community, such as allowing village fetes, school trips and scout and guide camps on their land.

Mark Hudson, CLA president, also pointed out that the CLA had listed 46 activities for which many farmers used pockets of their fields for a number of days each year to diversify their revenues.

The four-week lobbying campaign involved Defra persuading the European Commission that such activities would not impede the principal farming activity on the land.

Three categories of non-agricultural use on agricultural land have been agreed, which include:

* activities such as walking, bird spotting, game shooting and fishing, which are permitted at all times;

* country fairs and shows, farm auctions, festivals, car boot sales, events and equestrian activities, which are permitted on up to 28 days;

* non-permitted activities such as motor sports, golf courses and permanent sports facilities which are not considered consistent with agricultural use.

There are special dispensations for land used for military training.

Larry Whitty, Minister for Food and Farming, believed the guidance struck a good balance between business diversification opportunities and the need to abide by the rules on eligibility of land under the scheme.