Countryside Stewardship opens for applications in 2019

Funding for environmental benefits and public goods will be at the front of future policy once the UK leaves the EU
Funding for environmental benefits and public goods will be at the front of future policy once the UK leaves the EU

Farmers can now apply to the Countryside Stewardship scheme to deliver environmental benefits on their land.

The scheme opened on Monday (18 February) and provides a source of income for those who wish to build habitats for wildlife, create pollinator plots and increase biodiversity.

Improvements have been introduced this year to make the scheme easier to apply following complaints of growing complexity, delayed payments and the competitive nature of the scheme.

Farmers can apply for Mid Tier and choose from all available multi-year options and capital items to form an agreement which delivers local environmental benefits.

Higher Tier is for applicants managing more complex land in environmentally significant sites, commons or woodlands which requires support from Natural England or the Forestry Commission.

Wildlife Offers are designed to help guide farmers to the most straightforward options for their farm type, making it easier to secure a CS agreement. Offers are split into different packages for farm types: arable, lowland grazing, upland, and mixed farming.

Lastly, Hedgerows and Boundaries provides grants for farmers to restore existing farm boundaries and hedgerows on their land.

The introduction of the Agriculture Bill in September 2018 signalled a step-change in how farmers will be paid once the UK leaves the EU. Funding for environmental benefits and public goods will be at the front of future policy.

The new Environmental Land Management (ELM) system is due to be introduced 2024/2025. This will follow three years of piloting the new system nationally.