CS Mirror Agreements

[Frank-the-Wool]

Has anyone a Countryside Stewardship agreement that ends this year and been sent an email about signing up to a "mirror agreement"?
This is fine if you are going to be doing exactly the same as you were 5/6 years ago and will continue for the next 5 years with the same funding! Of course ELMS could come along and you can switch to that!!

It has effectively trapped many with these agreements as if you are not able to comply with an exact continuation of the original and you are on the higher tier then you have until tomorrow to do a new agreement having only published the rules on 20th April. If you cannot comply then you will have to start a new agreement from 2023 and receive no payment for 2022.
Having originally been told that my agreement would be rolled over for a year (which I was prepared to accept and have a better idea of what was coming along) I was caught out out by having to sign up for another five years!
The only good part is that this will be a "new" agreement and any penalties will start again.

 

[Sid]

So my options are,
A-Apply for mirror agreement in 20 days from 20th April.
B-Apply for a new agreement by 30th July.
C-join the new SFI trial.

So if I ask for mirror agreement does that mean I can't choose to apply for a new agreement and capital options?

 

[Frank-the-Wool]

So my options are,
A-Apply for mirror agreement in 20 days from 20th April.
B-Apply for a new agreement by 30th July.
C-join the new SFI trial.

So if I ask for mirror agreement does that mean I can't choose to apply for a new agreement and capital options?

You can start a new agreement provided you have already done it if it is HT as the closing date is tomorrow. Although they are now saying there will be an extension.
Have you been offered a mirror agreement?
You cannot include any capital options in a mirror agreement.
There is no guarantee you will be included in the SFI trial. Have you already applied? Land in existing schemes cannot be included in the trial.

 

[Sid]

You can start a new agreement provided you have already done it if it is HT as the closing date is tomorrow. Although they are now saying there will be an extension.
Have you been offered a mirror agreement?
You cannot include any capital options in a mirror agreement.
There is no guarantee you will be included in the SFI trial. Have you already applied? Land in existing schemes cannot be included in the trial.

It's a mid tier agreement.
Yes have had a mirror offer.

Was looking to add capital items to next CSS agreement.
I have submitted a expression of interest form, hoping being part of T&T may help selection process.

I think the SFI trial start in Oct. So anyone with a CSS agreement, who are the majority of the target audience for SFI, won't get accepted?

 

[Frank-the-Wool]

It's a mid tier agreement.
Yes have had a mirror offer.

Was looking to add capital items to next CSS agreement.
I have submitted a expression of interest form, hoping being part of T&T may help selection process.

I think the SFI trial start in Oct. So anyone with a CSS agreement, who are the majority of the target audience for SFI, won't get accepted?

Your decision but you might be wise to accept the mirror agreement as this is non competitive and you know exactly what you are going to get. Remember that you will be able to switch to any ELMS scheme without penalty. However I would bet these will run for the full 5 years before changing.
You may be better off in a new Mid tier, but a bird in the hand is sometimes worth two in the bush!

The SFI trial can only include land not already in a scheme. So you are correct that most of the target audience will not be allowed to be in.

 

[Sid]

Your decision but you might be wise to accept the mirror agreement as this is non competitive and you know exactly what you are going to get. Remember that you will be able to switch to any ELMS scheme without penalty. However I would bet these will run for the full 5 years before changing.
You may be better off in a new Mid tier, but a bird in the hand is sometimes worth two in the bush!

The SFI trial can only include land not already in a scheme. So you are correct that most of the target audience will not be allowed to be in.

It's all a bit mish mash tbh as you have no overlap to have more than one option open at any one time.

 

[steveR]

Your decision but you might be wise to accept the mirror agreement as this is non competitive and you know exactly what you are going to get. Remember that you will be able to switch to any ELMS scheme without penalty. However I would bet these will run for the full 5 years before changing.
You may be better off in a new Mid tier, but a bird in the hand is sometimes worth two in the bush!

The SFI trial can only include land not already in a scheme. So you are correct that most of the target audience will not be allowed to be in.

A not very clever decision, which might explain the poor take-up of the trials...

I was asked, off the record, if I was interested as my HLS scheme is due to expire. I wasn't.

 

[Sid]

A not very clever decision, which might explain the poor take-up of the trials...

IIRC
Old CSS was 60% of farmers
NEW CSS is 30% of farmers

That leaves 70% with the option to enter a SFI agreement

 

[Frank-the-Wool]

It's all a bit mish mash tbh as you have no overlap to have more than one option open at any one time.

They are dead scared of double funding is the reason why.

 

[Sid]

They are dead scared of double funding is the reason why.

Doesn't give "the customer "much flexibility at all though

 

[carpenter1]

I have had a mirror agreement, I will probably just sign it

 

[Sid]

I have had a mirror agreement, I will probably just sign it

Even with no capital items on it?