George Chichester
Senior Director, Farm & Estate Management
The introduction of the new Countryside Stewardship Scheme in England has proved to be a painful process for some farmers and landowners. George Chichester explains why there needs to be a rethink for 2016.
The introduction of the new Countryside Stewardship Scheme in England has proved to be a painful process for some farmers and landowners. George Chichester explains why there needs to be a rethink for 2016.
The original Countryside Stewardship Scheme, introduced in about 1992, was a real flagship, both nationally and internationally, and contributed much to the protection of sensitive habitats and landscape features in this country. The benefits were then further enhanced by Entry Level Stewardship, which was embraced by growers because it was straightforward, fitted well with most farming operations and was open to all. The evidence of success was the fact that about 70% of farmers voluntarily entered into ELS.
Farmers appreciate that the new CSS is different, in that it is a competitive scheme with targeted options, where applications have to be scored to see if they qualify. However, this has left many feeling that the balance between the environmental goals of the new scheme and what is practical on the ground are out of kilter. This is a great shame, because the objectives of the new scheme are nevertheless laudable.
Why not more applications?
No doubt Natural England will have received some quality applications to its new mid-tier scheme this autumn. However it is hard not to conclude that there should have been far more than the 2,314 applications received. After all, more than 4,500 applications packs were sent out, so clearly half of those who were genuinely keen to apply failed - or decided not - to do so.
It has been widely reported that hill farmers have struggled to put together an application due to the lack of appropriate options. Similarly, many arable farmers find themselves unable to join, despite willing intention.
Simplification of the rules
The rules and the application process both need to be simplified for the 2016 scheme year, in order to encourage more people to apply. Farmers care passionately about the countryside, but Natural England needs to appreciate that they have to make a living too. The application window needs to be extended so it does not clash with the busy harvest period. The rules need to be simplified so they are shorter and more practical: there are currently 724 pages of guidance notes on DEFRA’s website – it is little wonder that farmers have found it such a challenge to understand and apply for the new scheme, even with the valuable and enthusiastic support of patient Natural England staff.
The goals of Countryside Stewardship are to protect and enhance the natural environment, biodiversity and water quality. These are praiseworthy aspirations. However they should be made available, obtainable and affordable to all farmers who are keen to apply.
The scheme has its faults, but it is certainly not beyond repair. Let’s make it simpler for farmers to understand, apply and implement. This will benefit the farming community as well as the environment and tourist industry.