Significant funds could be unlocked for farmers and landowners if they explore the new Countryside Stewardship Higher-Tier (CSHT) scheme. This scheme offers higher funding rates for sites which are considered a priority by Defra and the window for applications is now open.
Until now, Defra has been operating the CSHT on an invitation-only basis, however this restriction has now been removed, allowing access for farmers to an attractive range of funding rates for specialist sites. New, single-focus CSHT agreements have been introduced to provide a quicker and simpler way for applicants to access funding for priority actions, without needing to apply for a full CSHT agreement.
Katie Hilton, Director at Cheffins says: “CSHT can have a real impact on farm incomes, with at least £50 million now available for new agreements this year. Farmers need to be really savvy and think about how to get the most amount of funding for their land. We can identify where there is scope for a selected part of the land holding to apply for CSHT, often with the remainder of the farm being entered into SFI. These schemes can run side-by-side, ensuring that the most advantageous grant payments are tapped into for every bit of the farm’.
Initially, single-focus agreements are targeting the conservation of species-rich grasslands, Scheduled Monuments, agroforestry and woodland improvement but this will soon be rolled out more widely, to wet grassland and orchards. Following that, an even greater range of single-focus agreements is expected to become available.
With much attention focused on the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) right now, farmers and landowners are encouraged to apply a level of scrutiny first, to scope out any opportunities for better funding rates available under CSHT. Pockets of riverside flood meadow or old, unimproved pasture may be ‘species-rich’ without the landowner realising that they have something a little more special than average.
For example, the payment under CSHT for ‘CGS22 Managing priority-habitat grassland’ is £646 (per hectare, per year) as opposed to the basic CLIG3 Grassland management action under SFI which is £151 (per hectare, per year). Additionally, the SFI agreement term is for three years whereas CSHT gives a greater level of funding certainty, with a five-year term.
Other CHST actions include CHS2 Take historic/archaeological features out of production’ at £613 per hectare and ‘CHS9 Restrict crop establishment depth on historic/archaeological features’ at £257 per hectare.
For more information on how Cheffins can help with grant funding and environmental schemes, please click here
For more information on CHST schemes and how Cheffins’ advisers can support your application, please contact Katie Hilton on [email protected]