Sustainable Farming Incentive: how the scheme will work in 2022

Sustainable farming incentive details published today 2 December 2021

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Campani

Member
So we get Ā£40/ha max? For that Iā€™m out.
You get Ā£44 a hectare for doing this:

Complete a basic soil assessment Add legume, herb and grass mix (10% area) Maintain permanent grassland (10% area) Manage stocking density (10% area)

I assume we will be able to sign up for other standards in the future as they come online. @Janet Hughes Defra is this correct?
 

Sprog

Member
Location
South Shropshire
You get Ā£44 a hectare for doing this:

Complete a basic soil assessment Add legume, herb and grass mix (10% area) Maintain permanent grassland (10% area) Manage stocking density (10% area)

I assume we will be able to sign up for other standards in the future as they come online. @Janet Hughes Defra is this correct?
You will also have to test SOM in every parcel every five years. We have lots of small parcels so will have to take hedges out or it wonā€™t be worthwhile!
 

Wombat

Member
BASIS
Location
East yorks
You get Ā£44 a hectare for doing this:

Complete a basic soil assessment Add legume, herb and grass mix (10% area) Maintain permanent grassland (10% area) Manage stocking density (10% area)

I assume we will be able to sign up for other standards in the future as they come online. @Janet Hughes Defra is this correct?
If I add my time in on a lot of perm want pasture we cannot resow I am not sure it makes sense at that rate on small areas.
 

2tractors

Member
Location
Cornwall
You get Ā£44 a hectare for doing this:

Complete a basic soil assessment Add legume, herb and grass mix (10% area) Maintain permanent grassland (10% area) Manage stocking density (10% area)

I assume we will be able to sign up for other standards in the future as they come online. @Janet Hughes Defra is this correct?
These were the previously published standard, the document today for Intermediate improved grassland shows Ā£58/ha for test soil organic matter by field every 5 years, soil assessment and management plan (defra to supply templates), maintain green cover on 95% over winter, any bare land must not be subject to erosion or at risk of run off and 15% herbal leys (can be existing if not already funded by CS)
 

Janet Hughes Defra

Member
āœ“
You get Ā£44 a hectare for doing this:

Complete a basic soil assessment Add legume, herb and grass mix (10% area) Maintain permanent grassland (10% area) Manage stocking density (10% area)

I assume we will be able to sign up for other standards in the future as they come online. @Janet Hughes Defra is this correct?
This is not correct. I think youā€™re looking at the SFI pilot version of the soils standard.

At the top of the thread Iā€™ve posted a link to the relevant standards for early rollout of the SFI scheme for everyone in 2022.

For example, the intermediate level of the improved grassland soils standard will pay Ā£58 per hectare for the following actions:
  • test soil organic matterā€Æ
  • undertake a soil assessment and produce a soilā€Æmanagement planā€Æ
  • 95% green cover to protect soil (no more than 5% bare ground over winter)
  • Establish or maintain herbal leys to improve soil health on at least 15% of land in the standard

https://www.gov.uk/government/publi...ng-incentive-how-the-scheme-will-work-in-2022

Yes, it's correct that you can sign up for other standards in future as they come online.
 

redsloe

Member
Location
Cornwall
We are in year 1 of a CS agreement that covers approx 60% of our farmed area. Mostly permanent pasture and herb rich leys.
Presumably we could enter our arable land into the soil element assuming we satisfy the relevant criteria as well as the CS from next year?
 

Campani

Member
This is not correct. I think youā€™re looking at the SFI pilot version of the soils standard.

At the top of the thread Iā€™ve posted a link to the relevant standards for early rollout of the SFI scheme for everyone in 2022.

For example, the intermediate level of the improved grassland soils standard will pay Ā£58 per hectare for the following actions:
  • test soil organic matterā€Æ
  • undertake a soil assessment and produce a soilā€Æmanagement planā€Æ
  • 95% green cover to protect soil (no more than 5% bare ground over winter)
  • Establish or maintain herbal leys to improve soil health on at least 15% of land in the standard

https://www.gov.uk/government/publi...ng-incentive-how-the-scheme-will-work-in-2022

Yes, it's correct that you can sign up for other standards in future as they come online.
thanks, it may be worth deleting the link from the blog post which links back to the old standard. In fact, it would probably be worth deleting the draft standards off the internet to avoid confusion.
 

Janet Hughes Defra

Member
āœ“
Have I got the beef bit right,
If I follow the welfare directives I will get Ā£522 per animal?
The payment rates for the Annual Health and Welfare Review are per Review, not per animal. Herd size does not affect the payment rate so an eligible beef farmer would receive a total of Ā£522 for the Review.
 

EJS

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Ashford, Kent
We are in year 1 of a CS agreement that covers approx 60% of our farmed area. Mostly permanent pasture and herb rich leys.
Presumably we could enter our arable land into the soil element assuming we satisfy the relevant criteria as well as the CS from next year?
Yes me too - interested in answer
 

redsloe

Member
Location
Cornwall
can we still apply for mid tier stewardship for 2023 start

ihmo a known known is preferable to an unknown untested scheme
Pretty sure I read that CS agreements can start up to 2024 scheme year.

We plan to introduce more standards incrementally between 2023 and 2025, with the full range being available from 2025 onwards. Existing schemes will continue to be available during that time, with the last applications for new Countryside Stewardship agreements in 2023, to start in 2024. From 2025, it will only be possible to enter into new agreements through our new environmental land management schemes
 

ffukedfarmer

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
West Kent
No bare ground over winter (improved grassland ā€“ introductory and intermediate levels)

What: You must ensure no more than 5% of the total area of land entered into the standard is left bare (or becomes bare) over the winter months. No land at high risk of erosion or runoff should be left bare over the winter months.

I reseeded a 30 acre field in September of which a good third has "become bare" due to pests. I'm not really sure how I could of ensured this didn't happen.

The bumph states that I should of "ensured early establishment" but Spring reseeds are exactly reliable in the dry south-east.
 

Rob Holmes

Moderator
BASIS
Thank you @Janet Hughes Defra,

Although the requirement for organic matter to be applied on a third of the land every year, the new rules from the EA restricting the application of organic manures in the autumn, make this more difficult.

FD1288B7-E935-40A4-AEE2-76F1E9A91CFD.jpeg


I know manures arenā€™t the only way to apply OM, but in this area of the country, the demand for straw is high and (there was) a high demand for FYM.

Donā€™t get me started on why the water companies are allowed to dump sewage into rivers, yet farmers canā€™t responsibly apply manure in the autumn.
Re. The autumn muckspreading ban, there may not be a ā€œrequirementā€ for nitrogen for an autumn sown crop, but many farmers will testify, it will be noticeable where the muckspreader has missed, therefore, there maybe no requirement, but the crop will definitely utilise the nitrogen.

There seems to be a contradiction between the 2 departments, maybe wishful thinking on my part, but maybe bring these points to your counterpart in the EA? šŸ¤žšŸ»
 
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Red Tractor drops launch of green farming scheme amid anger from farmers

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As reported in Independent


quote: ā€œRed Tractor has confirmed it is dropping plans to launch its green farming assurance standard in Aprilā€œ

read the TFF thread here: https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?threads/gfc-was-to-go-ahead-now-not-going-ahead.405234/
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