Following intense pressure, Defra has announced a one-year extension to Countryside Stewardship Mid Tier agreements.
In a statement, Defra said with agreements set to expire on 31 December this year, the targeted, time-limited extension is being offered to ensure farmers have the support they need to continue their vital activities to restore nature and produce food sustainably. This is part of our plan to give farmers long term strategic certainty.
The one-off investment of up to £70m supports more than 5,000 farmers, with currently more than 77,000 live agri-environment agreements – the highest number in history. Some 4.3m ha of farmed land in England is actively managed under the schemes.
Farming Minister Dame Angela Eagle said: “We’re backing farmers with the largest investment in nature-friendly farming in history, underpinning our cast iron commitment to food security.
“This targeted extension to Countryside Stewardship Mid Tier agreements ensures farmers have the certainty and support they need to continue to grow their businesses, get more British food on our plates, and help restore nature.”
NFU Deputy President David Exwood added: “We’re really pleased that Defra has listened and given certainty to so many farmers about the future of their environmental work for the year ahead. It recognises the valuable environmental work they have been delivering for many years.
“This result is a culmination of months of campaigning by the NFU. In reality, it means that agreement holders will be able to continue delivering everything from wildflower corridors and habitats for farmland birds to nurturing species-rich grassland.”
