Wide range of options with new grants

These grants allow up to £20,000 worth of options to be applied for in each of the three option groups – boundaries, trees and orchards, and water quality and air quality.

With a total of 67 capital items available, there is a wide range of options, including hedgerow planting, laying, coppicing and gapping up, fencing, concrete yard renewal, roofing over livestock handling areas, manure stores, sprayer washdown areas and slurry and silage stores, livestock troughs, livestock and machinery hardcore tracks, rainwater goods and low ammonia emission flooring for livestock buildings.

However, it is important to check the option-specific criteria, as certain options are only available to farms within high priority areas for water quality or air quality.

As in previous years, larger sums of capital items can still be applied for as part of a full Mid-Tier scheme.

With take up for this year’s Countryside Stewardship expected to be higher than usual and the application process competitive, it is important that applications are based on a genuine need and that clear environmental benefits as a result of the scheme can be seen.

Camilla Whitehouse of Nock Deighton