The government's review of its key environmental payments policy sparked anger from wildlife bodies and confusion among farmers. Here CLA East regional director Cath Crowther outlines what farms and rural businesses want from the revised policy.
There have been a lot of rumours flying around in recent weeks on the future of the government’s Environmental Land Management (ELM) schemes, which caused heated views and much debate.
Indeed, I have received a number of calls from our members from across the east of England who were seeking clarity over what was actually going on.
Defra has finally made it clear that they are not planning on scrapping ELM schemes but are looking to see where further improvements to their schemes can be made.
The CLA (Country Land and Business Association) has long believed that the ELM schemes can show that you do not need to choose between feeding the nation and protecting the environment. We can and should do both.
For many years the CLA has highlighted how a system of "public money for public goods" could not only benefit the environment and nature, but could also become a core income stream for landowners in an increasingly uncertain world, where public expenditure is coming under more and more scrutiny.
At the CLA we are working behind the scenes, both with Defra and Downing Street, to explore where ELM schemes can be improved. In doing so, we are pushing six key actions:
- Fast-track the launch of new Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) standards in early 2023 – we know from a recent survey that many farmers are waiting see how the scheme develops with more standards before applying.
- Simplify the SFI standards to make the decision-making and applications easier.
- Focus on Countryside Stewardship (CS) as the main agri-environment scheme until full details of the Local Nature Recovery scheme are available, and reiterate the guarantee that nobody will lose out from going into CS now.
- Develop a programme to support natural capital baseline assessment and training to build knowledge, skills and motivation to get involved in environmental land management.
- Publish plans for timing and themes for new rounds of productivity grants so that businesses can build into their business plans at the right time, and ensure that planning approvals and other licences are aligned.
- Design new schemes to allow a more diverse range of businesses to innovate, adapt and invest, for example to allow smaller businesses with restricted access to finance capital to take part.
This work continues. As always, we will champion our members interests both on agricultural policy, and the success of the wider rural economy through our Rural Powerhouse campaign.
Background
The government's review of its flagship environmental payment scheme provoked an angry backlash from nature campaigners - prompting Defra to rebut claims of a looming policy reversal.
Defra insisted it was not scrapping its new Environmental Land Management (ELM) schemes after announcing a “rapid review” of the policy at the end of September.
The three-tiered scheme, which would reward farmers and landowners for sustainable practices and nature improvement work, is aimed at replacing the EU's system of land-based subsidies, which is being phased out after Brexit.
A joint statement issued by a coalition of Norfolk-based conservationists said “any dilution or delay of the existing [ELMS] scheme could compromise the support a broad church of land managers and conservationists need to help restore Norfolk’s wildlife and natural landscape”.
Signatories included senior representatives from groups including Norfolk Wildlife Trust, National Trust, RSPB, CPRE Norfolk, Norfolk Rivers Trust, Wild Ken Hill, WildEast, and the Norfolk Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group.
But Defra responded by saying it “does not intend to go back on our commitment to the environment”, adding: “We’re not scrapping the schemes."
Zoe Leach, regional director for the National Farmers' Union (NFU), said it was the right time for a review, adding: "I have seen nothing to suggest the whole lot will be scrapped. But what I do know was that ELMS itself was woefully under-funded and it was under-developed and not ready, so for me it makes perfect sense for a new government to review it and look at what is not working.
"There are a lot of farmers who are heavily invested in changing the way they farm, because they think it is the right way to go. So it makes no sense to go backwards.
"We need to be sure that farmers can continue to grow food for the nation, but to keep doing it in a way that benefits the environment."
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