Renew 'green' agreements, Norfolk farmers told
Farmers with expiring Entry Level Stewardship agreements are being urged by Natural England to renew as soon as possible.On average, ELS is worth an average �4,000 a year but those submitting late applications will suffer a gap in their ELS income.
Farmers with expiring Entry Level Stewardship agreements are being urged by Natural England to renew as soon as possible.
On average, ELS is worth an average �4,000 a year but those submitting late applications will suffer a gap in their ELS income.
Although 314 agreements have been renewed, about half of East Anglia's ELS agreements expiring on July 31 submitted their renewal applications after the June 1 deadline.
Shaun Thomas, Natural England's regional director for East of England, said: "Nine out of 10 farmers and land managers with expiring ELS agreements have said they wish to renew, but it looks like some applications will arrive too late for their new agreement to carry on from the old one."
With more than 75pc of Norfolk's land area committed to good environmental practice, there are concerns that funding cuts may impact on environmental payments, warned adviser Richard MacMullen.
A huge number of Broads environmentally-sensitive area (ESA), Breckland ESA and country-side stewardship schemes will expire and many hundreds of ELS agreements will need to be renewed.
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Mr MacMullen and colleagues at Norfolk Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group can help applications choose the various options. With more than 35 years of experience, Mr MacMullen, Henry Walker and Sarah Cunningham, who are based at Beeches Farm, near Wymondham, will be at the Royal Norfolk Show.
Visit stand 46 in the woodland craft area near the Dereham gate; ring 01603 814869 or email Norfolk@fwag.org.uk; web help - naturalengland.org.uk or
www.cfeonline.org.uk
