Set-Aside
Set-aside is land taken out of production to reduce the risk of food surpluses, while increasing the opportunity for environmental benefits. Set-aside was introduced following a review of the European Union’s Common Agricultural Policy in 1992. Under this farmers are paid a support grant based on their crop-producing land, but in return they have to set-aside a proportion of their arable land for non-production. The European Commission has proposed that set-aside be abolished in 2009.