What’s going on with ELMs?
Date Published: 21st October 2022
Policy update by Tali Eichner
In September, the appointment of a new government brought speculation about the future of the new Environmental Land Management schemes (ELMs). Defra has since confirmed that they are committed to going ahead with the schemes, although statements on the subject are somewhat vague, albeit with a forthcoming review to “look at how best to deliver the schemes to see where and how improvements can be made”.
There are also indications that de-regulation of the planning process is likely. We signed a joint letter with the Sustain Alliance urging the new Secretary of State, Ranil Jayawardena, to continue with the rollout of ELMs.
Meanwhile, the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) in England is now open to applications. Currently eligibility is based on the same criteria as the Basic Payment Scheme (BPS), including the 5ha minimum land area. This requirement will be lifted to enable farms of any size to apply, although Defra say this won’t happen until at least 2024. Currently the SFI includes standards for arable and horticultural soils, improved grassland soils, moorland and rough grazing (introductory level only) and an annual health and welfare review. Further standards are expected in coming years including integrated pest management, agroforestry, organic and others.
An additional requirement to apply is that you must have management control over the land for the three years of the agreement. This doesn’t necessarily mean the tenancy must cover the whole period, but that there is good reason to expect to be managing the land for the duration. Common land and shared grazing land is also eligible, but also for now must be eligible for BPS, and the SFI application must be from a ‘single entity,’ which can be a group of people.
The same land parcels may be eligible for SFI alongside other schemes such as Countryside Stewardship, Environmental Stewardship, Farming in Protected Landscapes or the upcoming Local Nature Recovery and Landscape Recovery schemes, providing the standards applied for are compatible and are not based on the same outcome. Details about compatibility can be found here.
It is worth mentioning that Countryside Stewardship (CS) schemes remain open to new applications until 2023 (for agreements starting in 2024), after which it will be replaced by the Local Nature Recovery Scheme. There is no minimum land area requirement, except for Woodland Support Grants, where the woodland must be a minimum of 0.5ha and average at least 20 metres wide. Applications are open for CS grants now, and applications will reopen for long-term agreements in 2023.
CSA Network UK is supportive of the principles behind ELMs in rewarding agroecological farming practices, whilst arguing for more ambitious policies and subsidies and greater inclusivity for small, agroecological farms. In particular, we continue to campaign to lift the minimum hectarage sooner and to reward the community benefits CSAs provide.
Tali Eichner
Policy Manager, CSA Network UK