- Location
- South Wiltshire
Absolute joke that those in Countryside Stewardship cannot apply online today with everyone else. We have to email to ask apparently. I look forward to the reply in two months...
- Thread starter Janet Hughes Defra
- Start date
- Status
- Location
- Darlington
Another load of tosh with no understanding of real world farming.
- Location
- Northumberland
Quick look show the reward for the introductory levels are circa £10 acre.
Sorry but at that level I`ll pass
Sorry but at that level I`ll pass
Yes, we adjusted the terms and conditions following feedback from farmers, including on here, about the balance of Ts and Cs, to reduce our ability to make changes without your consent other than in genuinely exceptional circumstances (previous contracts had a much more general clause giving Defra the power to vary contracts).
We've made SFI much more flexible than existing schemes. There's flexibility to add more land, standards and levels of ambition each year. There's also provision if you're a tenant and lose management control of your land, or if you have another good reason, to reduce your land, standards and / or levels of ambition - if you did want to do that, you could make a request to RPA.
Generally speaking though, we do want people to commit to the 3-year agreement, because otherwise we can't demonstrate that we are getting value from the investment given that many of the actions give benefits over a period of years so it's not generally worth paying for them for just 1 year.
That's because we're rolling out some new functionality in a careful, managed way over the first few weeks, so that we can give everyone the right level of service and support.
If you've let the RPA know you want to apply then they will be in touch shortly to give you access to the service and support you to apply.
As will a lot of farmers, I suspect.
A "fag packet" calculation was that at present, I could get 6-700 quid by chasing my tail around, and doing a bit here and a bit there. I have not valued my time in at anything to make a claim work, and not really costed the demands such as testing either.
I'll pass too. But will keep an open mind, as and when the changes and other standards come forward...
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- Location
- Durham, UK
The payment rates are derisory, we are not valued. Our time is not valued. Id be far better of doing more tractor driving for a mate or doing a couple of shifts in the local pub a week.
Il pass too
- Location
- Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk
Thanks but all PP grazed on rental agreements here with landowners taking the sub
Owned land is less than 5 ha and thus although I farm over 60 ha and have over 40 breeding cows, I still won't get a penny towards my "veterinary assistance"
I shall carry on working outside the system you've designed @Janet Hughes Defra
Yes especially as most CS practical options are considered to be double funding.. it is a bit of a kick in the knackers for those who do the right things
No, but if you need support on this or any other part of the process then please do contact the RPA
Yes there will be more standards next year covering Hedgerows, Integrated Pest Management and Nutrient Management, and then more the following year, and you'll be able to add Local Nature Recovery options as well from 2024/25. You can come into SFI now and then add more land / standards / levels of ambition each year, if you like, or wait until there's a combination that works from your point of view. (We can only add in more standards each year as more money is released from BPS, hence the limited offer in this first year)
I daresay that in common with many other farmers of the older generation, they aren't going to go and turn on the computer (hardly know how) and sit down in front of the screen and read. For one thing it is much harder to read things off the screen, it is hard to refer back to previously read paragraphs and so it becomes all "too much" so they just aren't going to bother.
Should we be asking HM Treasury to support this SFI transition with extra funding from the old EU pot until 2025??
- Location
- People's Republic of South Yorkshire
Does look like its made for rspb and such like. Lots of land that farming is not main income so its all a bonus.
Who would enter a scheme for 10 quid an acre? Not worth it unless you have tens of 1000's of acres.. like rspb.....
Who would enter a scheme for 10 quid an acre? Not worth it unless you have tens of 1000's of acres.. like rspb.....
Regarding the SFI arable and horticultural soils standard intermediate level, Action 3: Add Organic Matter and Action 4: Winter cover:
Please can you confirm that a two-year red clover ley planted on 20% of the land in the autumn (and not destroyed in the following spring) would comply with the Action 3 & 4 requirements for as long as it is in the ground?
The clover ley is clearly not a cover crop but the guidance suggests it would still be suitable
Please can you confirm that a two-year red clover ley planted on 20% of the land in the autumn (and not destroyed in the following spring) would comply with the Action 3 & 4 requirements for as long as it is in the ground?
The clover ley is clearly not a cover crop but the guidance suggests it would still be suitable
You are right... all creates more work for the Agents!
I am pretty at ease with using a screen to read from after 40 years!
However, absorbing and understanding complex agreements with a wide number of options, is much easier in print. As with filling in forms such as BPS, it is easier to have 2 screens on at the same time!
- Location
- Somerset UK
£22/ha or £8.90/ac is hardly going to cover the soil tests, let alone the time and effort of doing them.
renewablejohn
Member
- Location
- lancs
Nice to know we have government support for the black market economy.
- Status