Natural England has published a ‘package’ of information on its website outlining how the Environmental Stewardship (ES) programme will operate for the remaining two years of its current programme. The idea is to give farmers and advisors an overview of what is coming up and the chance to plan accordingly.

An Information Note containing a summary of the information, including budgets for the next two years, has been produced. Various other supporting documents are also available:

Take action now to help avoid unnecessary delays or reductions and make your SPS 2012 claim as straightforward as possible. Click here to register now to see the online services on offer. More and more farmers and agents are using the electronic service - over 31,000 applied online in 2011. Benefits include: on-screen checks to reduce errors, instant proof of receipt, no postage costs or delays, claim tracking and view and print claim statements and entitlements statements. Go to the RPA website to find out more http://rpa.defra.gov.uk/rpa

From 3 January 2012, Natural England will have more flexible powers to help resolve cases where breaches of environmental regulations have resulted in harm to wildlife and the natural environment.

Natural England already has enforcement responsibilities in areas including Sites of Special Scientific Interest, heather and grass burning, breaches of certain wildlife licences, breaches of the Environmental Impact Assessment (Agriculture) Regulations and damage caused by injurious weeds.

Farmers wanting professional advice will no longer have to ring around dozens of organisations before getting through to the right source, said Agriculture Minister Jim Paice as he announced that a new, simpler Government advice service will launch in the New Year.

Defra’s new Farming Advice Service (FAS) will offer a one-stop-shop to farmers needing advice on subjects including cross compliance, nutrient management, competitiveness, and climate change adaption and mitigation.

Agriculture Minister Jim Paice launched a new £20 million fund, the Farming and Forestry Improvement Scheme, to help rural businesses increase profits and reduce their impact on the environment in early November.

Farmers, foresters and horticulturalists can apply for grants of between £2,500 and £25,000 to invest in green projects and new machinery so their businesses can grow in an environmentally friendly way to:
• save energy and reduce carbon emissions;

Natural England have updated the 'Common Land and Shared Grazing: Supplement to the Environmental Stewardship Handbooks' September 2011

This supplement contains important additional information which should be read and understood by applicants to Environmental Stewardship (ES) in respect of common land and shared grazing, before an application is submitted. This document supplements the 3rd edition of the scheme handbooks and provides important additional information about making an application.

To download the updated supplement and application form click here:

Common Land ES Supplement

Common Land ES Form

The Federation of Cumbria Commoners is a member of the Defra Working Group on Post 2013 Pillar 1 support on commons. After much debate at our last committee meeting we have issued a paper setting out our guiding principles - see below. However we recognise that this is a fast developing area and our ideas may change as and when other details of post 2013 reform come to light.

FCC draft guiding principles for SPS on commons

The July issue of Cumbria Farmer has an article from Julia Aglionby, one or our committee members. In this article Julia considers Natural England’s target to see 25% of the uplands wooded by 2060.

Julia believes that a sudden increase in woodland planting is not sensible or practical for the following reasons:
• The current stewardship schemes on commons are not fit for the task, as woodland establishment requires sheep exclusion for 20 – 50 years and Natural England can only offer payments for 10 years

Cumbria Farmer Article

To read Natural England's new newsletter, keeping farmers, stakeholders and land managers up-to-date on Environmental Stewardship and Land Management click here.

NE LAnd Management Update May 2011

The Government is to undertake a review of how it can marry its goals of improving the natural environment and increasing food production.

Summary environment white paper