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Review of agri-environment options points and payment rates

DEPARTMENT FOR ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS News Release (363/08) issued by COI News Distribution Service. 14 November 2008

A review of all Entry Level Stewardship (ELS) and Organic ELS option points as well as some Higher Level Stewardship (HLS), Countryside Stewardship Scheme (CSS) and Environmentally Sensitive Areas (ESA) payment rates under Defra's agri-environment schemes is to be carried out.

A progress report earlier this year on the current agri-environment scheme, Environmental Stewardship (made up of ELS, OELS and HLS) - which rewards farmers for environment-friendly land management such as creating wildlife habitats or preserving historical features - recommended that payment rates be reviewed in the light of market changes since the last review in 2004.

Defra wants to ensure that payment and points rates continue to compensate fairly for income that farmers forego when signing up to the scheme. Rates could go up or down.

There are more than 33,000 Environmental Stewardship agreements in England, covering more than 4.8million hectares.

Rates to be reviewed are:

* HLS arable option rates

* all capital item rates - those in HLS plus those in the now closed schemes - Countryside Stewardship and Environmentally Sensitive Areas

* all ELS and OELS points

Any changes will be implemented in 2010 in time for the first ELS renewals. Existing ELS and OELS agreements, and farmers who join before the new rates are applied, will not be affected. If new rates are introduced following the review, all HLS agreement holders would move to these when their current agreements are five years old.

For more information on the review go to http://www.defra.gov.uk/erdp/schemes/es/default.htm

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