Clarity for English farmers on ‘green’ support payments

English farmers have received further details on the roll-out of ELMs (Environmental Land Management scheme) from Defra which includes an expansion of the SFI (Sustainable Farming Incentive).

A list has been published of the full range of actions farmers will be able to claim funding for through the SFI (Sustainable Farming Incentive) and CS (Countryside Stewardship) schemes, including payment rates.

The announcement follows criticism of the Westminster Government’s slow pace of rolling out the scheme, which delayed some farmers from signing up to schemes. Farmers will now be able to pick from a menu and even stack options on fields to maximise payments, where applicable.

Valuation experts CAAV’s secretary, Jeremy Moody, said: “The options have now more obviously moved on from a classic agrienvironmental approach to being more securely linked to the very demanding carbon, biodiversity, water quality and other objectives for change.

“They are, though, no more than options. No one has to take them, but they could assist farms seeking resilience, or profit, or pursuing objectives already in mind, but that should have regard to the costs and unwanted changes they might require.” The scheme will be funded through 35% of the Basic Payment budget in 2023, before taking half the cash in 2024.

Under the SFI, farmers will be able to receive payment for actions on hedgerows, grassland, arable, horticultural land, pest management and nutrient management. These are in addition to the three existing standards introduced in 2022, regarding soil health, moorlands, animal health and welfare.

Further detail has also be given on improvements to the Countryside Stewardship scheme, with 30 additional options announced for agreements starting in 2024. A second round of the Landscape Recovery scheme will also open in the spring calling for bids delivering on net zero, protected sites and habitat creation.

Farmers will be paid per metre for hedgerows between £3-10, depending how much adjacent land is left to nature. There is a payment of £989 per year for completing

an integrated pest management assessment , establishing and maintaining flower rich grass margins, block or strips worth £673/h.

Establishing and maintaining blocks of winter bird food is worth £732/ha on arable, or horticultural land. Companion crops are worth £55/h and there’s a payment of £45/h for not applying insecticide. Planting legumes can be worth £102/h and can rise to £593/h if the legumes are not harvested.

‘Grassy field corners’ get paid at £590/h in arable parks and £333/h in fields of pasture. Grassland for winter bird feed is £474/h and a 4m-12m buffer strip in a grazing field is worth £235/h. ‘Very low input’ grassland fields get a payment of £151/h for farm outside the severe disadvantaged area and £98/h for those within.

NFU vice-president, David Exwood, described the additional measures as ‘broader and more flexible’.