Without options, farmers whose funding ends may remove habitat and return land to food production, setting back nature’s recovery.

The NFFN is urging the Government to allow farmers to roll over their agreements so they are not left without an agri-environment scheme after this year.

Across England, thousands of farmers may be forced to bring land set aside for nature back into crop production when their Countryside Stewardship (CS) agreements end on December 31. This would seriously undermine efforts to restore nature, halt species decline by 2030 - a legally binding target - and tackle climate change.

While most farmers in the CS Mid Tier should eventually find suitable options within the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI), the scheme is not due to reopen for applications until next year. Many farmers in the old Higher Tier are also at risk of being excluded, as the new higher-level CS - part of the Environmental Land Management schemes (ELMs) - will initially operate on an invite-only basis. 

With arable farmers in particular operating on tight margins, there is real concern that those shut out of the new Higher Tier will have no choice but to plough up valuable habitat to grow more crops simply to generate enough income to make ends meet.  

The NFFN says the Government must act quickly to ensure no farmer currently funded for environmental outcomes is left without a way to continue.

Our CEO Martin Lines said: “ The Government has failed to provide a joined-up approach to moving farmers into new agreements, leaving an enormous gap that now needs bridging. Fortunately, there is still time for ministers to act. A one-year rollover agreement for CS farmers would provide the badly needed confidence.