Sustainable Farming Incentive

[Steevo]

Countryside improvements fund 'could be raided' https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-54238399

 

[GeorgeK]

BBC slow on the uptake as always, this was fielded way back in February in the ELMS consultation document. It has been known for months that tier 1 of ELMS would be similar to BPS, paying for things farmers are mostly doing already or can qualify for with little effect on the business. Examples would be hedge maintenance, buffer strips, direct drilling and cover crops. However the money available will be far less than BPS so it will be no replacement, but exactly how much tier 1 will pay no one knows.

Why shouldn't farmers get paid for valuable features like hedges and buffer strips? They are ripped out to make way for new houses, roads, factories and offices so as not to economically inconvenience the rest of the population's activities. See how homeowners or office workers would like it if the area of their work or living spaces had to be reduced to make more room for the environment, all hell would break loose

 

[Kevtherev]

BBC slow on the uptake as always, this was fielded way back in February in the ELMS consultation document. It has been known for months that tier 1 of ELMS would be similar to BPS, paying for things farmers are mostly doing already or can qualify for with little effect on the business. Examples would be hedge maintenance, buffer strips, direct drilling and cover crops. However the money available will be far less than BPS so it will be no replacement, but exactly how much tier 1 will pay no one knows.

Why shouldn't farmers get paid for valuable features like hedges and buffer strips? They are ripped out to make way for new houses, roads, factories and offices so as not to economically inconvenience the rest of the population's activities. See how homeowners or office workers would like it if the area of their work or living spaces had to be reduced to make more room for the environment, all hell would break loose

It’s ok for HS2 to rip everything up too but that’s acceptable.

 

[GeorgeK]

This morning, my nectar pollen flowers (30% of my total acreage), behind that is bird cover, all positively humming with wildlife. What's the point? I'm getting cheesed off with the constant bad press we get, I'm starting to think better not to take payments, pull the lot out and stop listening

 

[delilah]

This morning, my nectar pollen flowers (30% of my total acreage), behind that is bird cover, all positively humming with wildlife. What's the point? I'm getting cheesed off with the constant bad press we get, I'm starting to think better not to take payments, pull the lot out and stop listening

Best thing you can do for the environment is exactly that. Rip it up and grow food. All ELMS area-based payments should go to PP.

 

[N.Yorks.]

Best thing you can do for the environment is exactly that. Rip it up and grow food. All ELMS area-based payments should go to PP.

I'm guessing you're saying PP for maintenance of high soil OM (Carbon)? The arable areas would still need to be farmed sustainably though and not impose external costs on society.

 

[delilah]

I'm guessing you're saying PP for maintenance of high soil OM (Carbon)? The arable areas would still need to be farmed sustainably though and not impose external costs on society.

Justification for all area-based ELMS going to PP attached.

That isn't to say that farms that don't have any PP shouldn't get any ELMS money; there's lots of elements to ELMS other than area payments.

 

[midlandslad]

Does anyone have any clue how much the SFI will be?