Environmental Land Management

The Future of Hedgerow Protections in England

April 2024

Parliament is forming new legislations to protect hedgerows in England, to address DEFRA’s recent consultation on how hedgerows should be protected in England.

If this new legislation is approved by parliament, then the Management of Hedgerows (England) Regulations 2024 will integrate baseline management practices into law. This aims to replicate the approach of previous cross compliance rules, which farmers are already familiar with.

The new rules will aim to:

Replicate the 2m requirement for buffer strips and not increase the required width Continue offering payment for buffer strips wider than 2m Allow the spot application of pesticides within bu… Read More

Don’t forget! The Big Farmland Bird Count 2024 is starting TOMORROW

February 2024

Help raise awareness of the important role farmers play in the conservation of farmland birds and take part in this annual three-week event to record bird species and numbers on your farm.

All you need to do is simply:

Download your count sheet Count and record the birds you see on your property Submit your results online

To download your count sheet and learn more about the event, click here.

This event is organised by the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust (GWCT) and sponsored by the National Farms Union (NFU).

Sustainable Farming Incentive Update

September 2023

Application opens for early entrants from 18th September 2023

Businesses are invited to submit their expression of interest to participate in the initial roll out of the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) from 18th September, prior to the scheme being rolled out to all eligible businesses.

DEFRAs intention is to manage the roll out of the scheme and applications in a controlled and careful manor, ensuring all farmers and land managers are offered the right level of support.

If you would like to register your interest to be an early entrant, complete the form below.

Apply Here

Once DEFRA has received your completed expression of…

Preparing for an Environment Agency Visit

May 2023

Have you recently received a letter from the Environment Agency about a potential upcoming inspection?

Following the recruitment of officers across the country many farmers will have recently received a letter from the Environment Agency regarding the likelihood of upcoming farm visits and inspections.

The letters, distributed across ‘target areas’ highlight 4 focus areas that officers will focus on during any inspections:

Slurry, Silage and Agricultural Fuel Oil storage (SSAFO regulations) Nutrient management planning and application records (Farming Rules for Water) Nitrate Vulnerable Zone records (NVZ) General farm recordkeeping

I have received a let…

Woodland Creation in the Cotswolds

February 2023

Did you know, you can apply for a free audit with the forestry commission to assess the opportunities and constraints of a potential woodland site on your land?

Last week, the AKC team visited a farm in Woodmancote, Cirencester for a farm walk, and discussion on the practicalities of woodland creation and a review of the schemes available to guide and support farmers in planning and managing a new woodland.

The farm, which is circa 1,050 acres is presently within a whole farm Countryside Stewardship Scheme and occupies 46 hectares of predominantly broadleaf deciduous woodland. Ne…

ELMS Update

January 2023

DEFRA has announced new actions and payments relating to the Environmental Land Management Scheme, where something for all farmers/ land managers is offered, regardless of farm type, size, location, ownership, or systems implemented.

Actions paid for include ‘Standards’ on the following land uses:

Grassland Arable land Permanent crops Mo… Read More

Results of a recent National Audit review of Defra and Environmental Land Management Scheme review have been published:

The Environmental Land Management Scheme National Audit Review Findings

September 2021

Results of a recent National Audit review of Defra and Environmental Land Management Scheme review have been published: Facts already known about ELMS:

ELMS will be delivered through three components:

Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI): open to all farmers with payment for actions to manage land in an environmentally sustainable way Local Nature Recovery: payment for more complex actions delivering benefit at a local level and aims to encourage collaboration between farms Landscape Rec… Read More

Expansion of the Catchment Sensitive Farming programme

Catchment Sensitive Farming advice now available to all farms in England

August 2021

The government have announced an expansion of the popular Catchment Sensitive Farming (CSF) programme to cover every farm in England.

The programme – which is a partnership between Defra, Natural England and the Environment Agency can provide free 1-2-1 advice to farmers to help them reduce water and air pollution through management of farmyard manure and soils among other things.

In recent years it has reduced the number of serious water pollution incidents by almost a fifth, and helped farmers access £100m in grants to help protect the environment.

The funding for the programme will now be almost doubled, with an additional £17m over the next three years. The new annual budget will…

Details of grant scheme if farming in a designated protected landscape

Farming In Protected Landscapes Programme

July 2021

The scheme is open to all Farmers and Land Managers within an AONB, National Park or Broads. Also, it may be available to Farmers and Land Managers outside the Protected Landscape Areas if they can meet priority areas described below.

The key areas for the programme are;

Climate Nature People Paces… Read More

What is currently on offer to support Woodland Creation?

Considerations for woodland planting

February 2021

Are you thinking about planting some new woodland?

We outline some aspects for consideration and the options currently available here:

What size of woodland will you create? For an area greater than 3 hectares but less than 10 hectares:

Woodland grants within Countryside Stewardship can offer one off grants to support the preparation of a Woodland Management Plan and planting.

1. Apply for a Woodland Management Planning grant.

This will provide a flat rate payment of £1,000 towards the cost of preparing a 10 year woodland management plan which meets UK Forestry Standards. This plan will help wit…

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