Defra speaks at last
DETAILS on the Environmental Land Management schemes (ELMS) have finally been revealed by Defra, ending years of speculation as to what England’s post-Brexit subsidy system will look like.
In a statement, Defra secretary Thérèse Coffey said: ‘Farmers are at the heart of our economy—producing the food on our tables, as well as being the custodians of the land it comes from. These two roles go hand in hand and we are speeding up the roll-out of our farming schemes so everyone can be financially supported as they protect the planet while producing food more sustainably.’
The new ELMS will comprise three payment schemes. They are the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI), which will focus on soil health and reducing the use of insecticides and fertilisers; the Landscape Recovery Scheme, which will pay landowners for large-scale rewilding projects; and the Countryside Stewardship Plus scheme, which will reward farmers for action to help Nature and support climate-change adaptation. In all, the scheme consists of some 280 payments that cover both Nature restoration and food production.
The announcement of the finer workings of the scheme has been met with positivity and relief from farmers and farming organisations. ‘It’s encouraging that Defra has provided us with more detail on the future of the ELMS and brought forward a broader, more flexible offer for the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI),’ says NFU vice president David Exwood. ‘Information on the six new standards for SFI 2023, payment rates, as well as the evolving Countryside Stewardship scheme, is incredibly useful and provides some of the clarity we have been asking
