New guidance designed to help tenant farmers and landowners to navigate the transition away from the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) has launched.
The advice aims to provide clarity on how to make the most of new public and private sector environmental schemes whether within existing agricultural tenancies or when considering new tenancies.
The industry is facing the biggest set of changes to domestic policy in living memory, as subsidy schemes are phased out and replaced with new Environmental Land Management (ELM) schemes.
These schemes will reward farmers and land managers for helping to mitigate climate change and enhance nature.
The Country Land and Business Association (CLA) and Tenant Farmers Association (TFA) published the new guidance today (21 March).
CLA President, Mark Tufnell the guidance came as farmers faced "challenges which should not be understated."
"We need to work together to navigate the extraordinary change taking place," Mr Tufnell added.
“All sectors of the industry must be allowed to benefit from the new government schemes, and we are certain that proactive collaboration between landowner and tenant will always achieve the best outcome.
"This guidance encourages both parties to build on those relationships, and to begin the conversation about how these new government schemes can work in practice.”
TFA National Chairman, Mark Coulman said the guidance provided a framework for cooperation and an approach which sought to avoid confrontation and dispute.
"It will be particularly important for agents advising both landlords and tenants to work constructively towards facilitating agreements that will allow participation in the new schemes being developed.
"Whilst legal remedies are available to parties who cannot agree, their use must be seen as sub optimal," Mr Coulman added.
"Although the guidance is addressed specifically to the members of both organisations, it is very much hoped that it will be of benefit more widely”.
What is included in the new guidance?
The core principles of the joint guidance are:
• The person delivering the environmental goods or services, whether paid for by the private or public sector, should be entitled to receive payment, unless they are acting as a contractor or employee.
• The transition from current to future environmental schemes should be managed so as to achieve the best outcomes for members and for the environment.
• There must be clarity over who is entering into agreements or contracts to deliver environmental outcomes, to avoid the risk of inadvertent double funding or incompatible contracts.
• Landlords and tenants can deliver more environmental outcomes and unlock additional marriage value from environmental investment by working together.
