Rules relaxed to help farmers deal with ‘driest weather for decades’

Farmers will have the option to relax rules in their agri-environment scheme agreements, to make it easier to provide food for livestock, Defra has announced.

The changes come into effect today (17^th August) and last until the end of 2022.

It will allow agreement holders in the Countryside Stewardship or Environmental Stewardship schemes to take steps such as cutting or grazing additional areas of land – to help ease shortages of bedding, fodder, grazing or forage crops. ‘Buffer strips’ and field corners will also be able to be cut early.

A full list of easements and guidance on how to record the adjustments made has been published by the Rural Payment Agency (RPA).

Defra says the new rules will help increase access to bedding, fodder, grazing or forage in ways that limit its environmental impact. Forage crops are also being impacted as less silage is made and farmers are feeding stocks to their livestock now, instead of saving them for the winter months.

The news comes after the Environment Agency declared drought status for large parts of England last week, including the south west, south east and east, with Yorkshire added on Tuesday 16th August.

Paul Caldwell, chief executive of the Rural Payments Agency, said: “We know that farmers are facing pressures as they deal with the consequences of these exceptionally dry conditions, and we hope these practical steps will help farmers safeguard food production and help with animal welfare.

“We are committed to supporting agreement holders as much as we can during this difficult period and help ensure that they can maintain existing environmental commitments.”

Responding to the new measures, CLA president, Mark Tufnell, said: “The CLA has been calling for a support package to help ease the enormous pressure farmers are currently under as a result of the unusually dry summer and subsequent drought. These new measures introduced today by Defra are a welcome response.

“The relaxing of certain rules relating to agri-environment scheme agreements allows farmers to use land in such agreements for livestock grazing and make hay as fodder for the winter months. This is designed to help farmers focus on the welfare of their animals and ensure they are properly fed.

“The initiative is set to last until the end of 2022, but with increasingly unpredictable weather, the CLA is urging the government to keep future actions to manage impacts of extreme weather under review.”

The Environment Agency has also introduced a package of measures to help with access to water to safeguard food production and animal welfare.

These include options for farmers to access water through the use of short term water rights trading between licence holders and allowing flexibility with abstraction licences, where the Environment Agency can ensure that the environment and other users will be protected.

Where there is a real or imminent threat to crops and livestock, farmers are advised contact the EA to discuss availability of water.