Goweresque
Member
- Location
- North Wilts
Does anyone know when this review of ELMS will be concluded and when we might have some idea of what is going to happen next year?
- Thread starter Janet Hughes Defra
- Start date
- Status
- Location
- North Somerset.
I had a conversation with a chap on the delivery side of the SFI pilot he didn’t have a clue what was going on . The new S o S has had a video chat with the DEFRA staff to give them whatever reassurance she felt was necessary as their boss. Pity she can’t be bothered to have the same chat with the food producers her department is doing their best to undermine and make business planning even more difficult.
It is a disgrace that nothing has come out of DEFRA in the last two months. Not fit for purpose.
- Location
- Durham, UK
I did think we were supposed to get word of what was happening by the end of this month, that looks very very unlikely.
Shambles.
Shambles.
- Location
- Wiltshire
Oh dear
https://www.theguardian.com/environ...ay-mean-farmers-miss-nature-friendly-payments
fewer than 2000 applications to SFI
https://www.theguardian.com/environ...ay-mean-farmers-miss-nature-friendly-payments
fewer than 2000 applications to SFI
- Location
- Wiltshire
“These schemes were developed to replace the EU’s old subsidy system for farmers, which paid according how much land they managed”
technically incorrect tho? Surely it is to replace CS which is why I cannot apply due to double funding rules on cover cropping.
Probably the same civil servant that used the words ‘co-design’ and ‘consultation’ and ‘light touch’ early in the process. More tick boxes for them to fill at the time, but absolutely no relevance to the final outcome! The danger comes now, when there is even less for them to occupy their time.
Well, I dropped out of the pilot for many reasons that most will probably know.
I've had several calls now asking me why.
I've not held back at all, explained the remuneration is pityfully low for what they're insisting is done to comply, with costs barely or indeed unlikely to be covered at all, leaving us with a cost to the business to enter the scheme.
Now, I'm doing a very large part of what they want anyway, but the restrictions mean it's unattractive .
Unless they pay a lot more, or really make the scheme less onerous, I will not be participating in any way shape or form.
Indeed, I'll not be answering any more questions about it to them.
I won't be getting anything for what I done up to withdrawing, which amounted to a huge amount of time, and won't be getting anything for further information provided.
I'm fed up with doing everything for nothing with all these damned surveys.
I've had several calls now asking me why.
I've not held back at all, explained the remuneration is pityfully low for what they're insisting is done to comply, with costs barely or indeed unlikely to be covered at all, leaving us with a cost to the business to enter the scheme.
Now, I'm doing a very large part of what they want anyway, but the restrictions mean it's unattractive .
Unless they pay a lot more, or really make the scheme less onerous, I will not be participating in any way shape or form.
Indeed, I'll not be answering any more questions about it to them.
I won't be getting anything for what I done up to withdrawing, which amounted to a huge amount of time, and won't be getting anything for further information provided.
I'm fed up with doing everything for nothing with all these damned surveys.
- Location
- Durham, UK
I take it you diddnt get much of a reply on these phonecalls?
- Location
- Devon
A Defra spokesperson said: “We back British farmers and, in fact, we’ve had very positive take-up of the sustainable farming incentive with over 4,000 applications started, plus good feedback about how quick and straightforward the process is.
But new figures, given in response to a written parliamentary question, show that fewer than 2,000 applications have been submitted to SFI out of a farming community of about 83,000 businesses, a rate that Labour calls “pitifully low”.
- Location
- Durham, UK
So much for 70% uptake.
They called me.
The question was why did I leave?
I explained.
I won't be doing it again.
Lack of support whilst trying to get my scheme running and just a massive lack of information about what was wanted. Frustration overtook me and lack of time to participate in the video calls that basically were bigging them scheme up and had no worth at all about implementing it.
It's run by university graduates who think they know better than those having to implement it. Too many committees operating within committees is the main issue I think, too many checker uppers.
Why make it so damned difficult?
Just add up the budget, including the amount wasted on administering it, divide it up. I bet more would be spent on public good than not.. But there would be a whole load of civil servants without jobs then.............
- Location
- Yorks
They've stupidly pigeon holed it as double funding, when Janet herself has admitted it isn't
, but their schemes are so complex and crossed over they're in a muddle. And they don't want to change it now because they'd get in even more of a muddle.If someone has CS cover cropping, they now can't even get the SFI introductory arable payment, which doesn't cross over at all with the required standards.
They just haven't thought it through, get they've launched the schemes, and the payment rates struggle to cover the farmer's compliance costs.
2k agreements out of 83k farmers is 2.4% uptake.
How an earth could anyone think SFI would get 70% uptake. Looking like a clueless shambles.
Whatever these people are getting in their pay packets, it's too much.
- Location
- Essex
It wouldn't matter about the double funding if there was a decent payment for doing it, in other words you could choose one scheme over another.
- Location
- S.E
They are dreaming if they think they will get a 70% uptake! I would imagine they will do well to get 20% uptake. The payment rates were far far to low before the inflation we are all experiencing took off. Now they are worth 10% less then before as well!
- Location
- Herefordshire
The payments were so paltry we haven't looked closely at it.What worries me is the working farmers, who received BPS in the past,won't apply but the likes of large estates,charities that own ground such as RSPB etc will have the manpower and time to do the applications. In other words monies will migrate from the farmers who need it to the organisations mentioned.
Somehow that seems to defeat the object of ELMS.
- Location
- Durham, UK
Thats exactly what will happen. Defra should hang their head in shame
- Location
- Devon
It is not just that the value of payments were low, and now worth even less due to inflation, but the value of all the alternatives have gone up.
And what will not be disclosed but I'm sure is the case, the 2% that have made an application will the those that need the money the least and provide the least public good.
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- Location
- Durham, UK
The thing is the only thing thats happening is complete radio silence from defra.
Is the sfi going ahead as planned?, is elms?
Im keen to join a sensible workable enviroment sceme but thats not what weve been given so far.
Is the sfi going ahead as planned?, is elms?
Im keen to join a sensible workable enviroment sceme but thats not what weve been given so far.
- Location
- Essex
I hope we'll carry on getting info from Janet or someone like her. It will be a pity if Defra returns to normal service
New policy for the Minister Janet ?...How about we all put 5% of our 2022 profits aside to pay all staff at defra off ( like a permanent gardening leave) and keep BPS at full rate of £230 per Ha... 70% uptake guarenteed on that policy.. everyone stays in business and they can keep on keeping their heads up their jacksyies
- Status