Applications open for 2024 Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier agreements

Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier offers multi-year agreements and one-off grants for over 250 different actions farmers can take to protect, restore or enhance the environment – from planting and maintaining new hedgerows or woodland through to restoring peatland and moorlands.

There are now more than 32,000 ongoing Countryside Stewardship agreements in place – with the scheme seeing a 94% increase in uptake since 2020, Defra said.

Mark Spencer, Defra farming minister, has announced an average increase of 10% for Countryside Stewardship revenue payment rates, covering ongoing activity such as habitat management. Capital payment rates, which cover one-off projects such as hedgerow creation, were also increased by an average of 48%.

Mr Spencer explained: “Countryside Stewardship is a fantastic opportunity for farmers and landowners to be financially supported as they protect the planet while producing food more sustainably. Farmers will feel the added benefit where they can take that mix and match approach between the various Countryside Stewardship tiers, but also the Sustainable Farming Incentive.

“The scheme provides funding for some of our most important habitats, including flower-rich hay meadows and improved management of our woodlands, so I encourage everyone to consider whether areas of your farm would benefit from what’s on offer and apply.”

Defra have introduced a number of changes to the application process, to help support farmers and land managers:

• A new Higher Tier capital only offer has been introduced awarding grants to help support the most environmentally significant sites and woodlands, including preparatory works for the creation and restoration of priority habitats and priority species. Successful applicants will now have three years to complete their activity and submit claims.
• An annual claim declaration, which means that agreement holders will not have to complete a burdensome annual claim form. Instead they will be able to declare online that they are fulfilling the obligations of their agreement, reducing the administrative burden on farmers and landowners and making the claim for payment process quicker and more straightforward.
• Where farmers or land managers are already in Higher Level Stewardship (HLS) agreements, they can also apply for a Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier agreement to start from 1st January 2024, on the basis that they are undertaking actions that are different to and do not conflict with their Higher Level Stewardship agreement.

Applications open today (7th February) for Higher Tier and will remain open until 28^th April 2023. Mid-Tier and Wildlife Offer agreements are expected to open next month.