It's business as usual – at least for now
With the window for transferring land and entitlements online already open and the Basic Payment Scheme 2019 application window opening on March 13 begin,to prepare for the busy few months ahead.
Business is very much as usual this year with greening requirements and cross compliance requirements remaining unchanged, as does the application deadline of May 15. Big changes are proposed ahead though and the scheme as we know it will look quite different from 2021 onwards under the Government’s Agriculture Bill.
As of February 18 the application window has also opened for Countryside Stewardship, including mid-tier, higher tier, the hedgerows and boundary capital grant and water capital items.
Mid-tier is similar to the previous Entry Level Stewardship Scheme and offers five year agreements with a wide range of management options and capital items available suitable for arable, grassland and mixed farms. Successful applications made before the July 31 deadline will be offered agreements commencing on January 1, 2020, with payments made annually.
Farmers located within the high priority area for water quality also have access to additional capital items aimed to improve water quality including concrete yard renewal, roofing of silage/slurry/livestock gathering areas, rainwater goods and hardcore tracks.
Although mid-tier is competitive with agreements only being awarded to the highest scoring applications, there is a non-competitive route available through four “wildlife offers”. The offers for arable, lowland grazing, mixed and upland farms all have a set of options and minimum requirements which need to be met, but if a valid application is submitted you are guaranteed to get a five year agreement. The only downside of opting for a wildlife offer is that you will not be able to apply for capital items.
Higher tier is similar to the previous Higher Level Stewardship scheme and also offers five year agreements but is aimed at more environmentally significant sites and the options and capital items available are complex and tailored to those sites.
The hedgerows and boundary grant offers grants of up to £10,000 and is designed to help farmers and land managers restore existing farm boundaries with 12 different capital items available including hedge laying, stone wall restoration and earth bank restoration. The application windows for higher tier and this grant both close on May 3.
Water capital items, as previously mentioned, can be applied for as part of mid-tier or can be standalone agreements. Applicants have to be within the high priority area and a maximum grant of £10,000 can be applied for.
Anne-Marie Brettell works for Halls in its Rural Professional Team
