Defra release ELM Schemes update
Defra have published further information and a report on their Environmental Land Management (ELM) Schemes.
Of particular interest are details of the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) 2023 offer and an outline of how Countryside Stewardship (CS) will be taken forward in ELMs.
SFI launched in 2022 with three standards:
1. Arable and horticultural soils standard
2. Improved grassland soils standard
3. Moorland standard.
There will be six additional SFI standards rolled out in 2023 including:
– Nutrient management standard
– IPM (integrated pest management standard)
– Hedgerow standard
– Arable and horticultural land standard
– Improved grassland standard
– Low or no input grassland standard
Also to be offered will be an “SFI Management Payment” of £20 per hectare for up to the first 50 hectares of land entered into SFI actions.
Countryside Stewardship will also be evolving to include what was originally planned for Local Nature Recovery. There is also reference to an enhanced version of Countryside Stewardship (“Countryside Stewardship Plus”), which will see around 30 additional options available by the end of 2024.
Defra intends to improve the CS application process and move to quarterly payments.
For further information, see https://bit.ly/3WI9WP2
For the full report, see https://bit.ly/3JqdP8d
If you are interested in finding out more, or taking forward an application, please contact our team in the Cockermouth Office on 01900 268 633 or cockermouth@drrural.co.uk
