Lapwing plots Steve Barclay letter.

[tullah]

My Stewardship agreement has just come to an end 1st Jan 2024.
I've had a 20 acre grass field of sorts very stony light land that has been grass for nearly five years so needs stirring up again to qualify for ongoing arable.
What's the most profitable option to put this into?
I could possibly just roll it after discing and let it regen itself but how much would that pay?

 

[Hindsight]

So is it actually an SFI option currently? I couldn't find it under that.

But 15 species per m² is no mean feat if you haven't already got it.

Hi, I just had a look and I too do not think it is an SFI option but still a CS option (GS6) but the payment rate has been increased, that is my take on the Defra press release today. It is not an option I am familiar with. But as species rich is a rare habitat then I think it was one that required some prior agreement and signing off in Mid Tier or HLS Stewardship - hence the reference to Priority Habitat designations available to look at on the MAGIC website - so you could check if it is already on your farm. There was another option which was recreating or creating new species rich grassland on suitable sites. But as I must say I am not a specialist FWAG / ecologise adviser - and whenever I have come across these sorts of farms I have referred the farmer to a specialist to assist with a Stewardship application. The point I suppose I am trying to say is don't just assume any old bit of pasture can be called species rich so s to get the higher payment rates! But in this crazy SFI world I my well be wrong! Cheers

 

[Poorbuthappy]

Hi, I just had a look and I too do not think it is an SFI option but still a CS option (GS6) but the payment rate has been increased, that is my take on the Defra press release today. It is not an option I am familiar with. But as species rich is a rare habitat then I think it was one that required some prior agreement and signing off in Mid Tier or HLS Stewardship - hence the reference to Priority Habitat designations available to look at on the MAGIC website - so you could check if it is already on your farm. There was another option which was recreating or creating new species rich grassland on suitable sites. But as I must say I am not a specialist FWAG / ecologise adviser - and whenever I have come across these sorts of farms I have referred the farmer to a specialist to assist with a Stewardship application. The point I suppose I am trying to say is don't just assume any old bit of pasture can be called species rich so s to get the higher payment rates! But in this crazy SFI world I my well be wrong! Cheers

Looking at it I don't think I've got anything (or hardly anything) that would qualify even without the existing habitat requirements. However some ground I take from my neighbour would come very close I would have thought. Have suggested to him it may be worth investigating.

 

[Poorbuthappy]

Hi, I just had a look and I too do not think it is an SFI option but still a CS option (GS6) but the payment rate has been increased, that is my take on the Defra press release today. It is not an option I am familiar with. But as species rich is a rare habitat then I think it was one that required some prior agreement and signing off in Mid Tier or HLS Stewardship - hence the reference to Priority Habitat designations available to look at on the MAGIC website - so you could check if it is already on your farm. There was another option which was recreating or creating new species rich grassland on suitable sites. But as I must say I am not a specialist FWAG / ecologise adviser - and whenever I have come across these sorts of farms I have referred the farmer to a specialist to assist with a Stewardship application. The point I suppose I am trying to say is don't just assume any old bit of pasture can be called species rich so s to get the higher payment rates! But in this crazy SFI world I my well be wrong! Cheers

Looking at this link, https://www.gov.uk/government/publi...-combined-environmental-land-management-offer
It looks like it's still just under Stewardship.

 

[Hindsight]

Looking at this link, https://www.gov.uk/government/publi...-combined-environmental-land-management-offer
It looks like it's still just under Stewardship.

Yes. I assume that is because it is a specialist option - being able to confirm the pasture land complies and really probably needs an ecologise type adviser to work on the application - or a local wildlife trust bod or similar - to confirm the designation on the MAGIC website. I doubt they will let that sort of money go 'loose' in the system of all SDA land will majically be species rich!!!