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Know How / ELM

The Environmental Land Management (ELM) scheme will replace basic payments to farmers in England. The scheme will provide payments for farming that improves the environment and mitigates climate change, such as hedge planting and river management.

We explain the details as they emerge to help farmers understand how they will qualify for payments under the scheme.

Advice and tips

BUSINESS

Business Clinic: Should we take up SFI on mixed family farm?

Whether it’s a legal, tax, insurance, management or land issue, Farmers Weekly’s experts can help. James Bradley of Carter Jonas Rural sets out how the SFI and other sources of…

CROP MANAGEMENT

How growers can plan with support worth only one-third of BPS

Arable growers looking at new “public money for public good” environmental schemes are likely to earn only one-third of their current area-based subsidies, which are being phased out. This funding…

SOILS

4 environmental options for arable growers in switch to ELMs

Arable growers are being encouraged to try out current stewardship options to ready themselves for the switch from direct subsidies to environmentally focus payments. With direct support from the Basic…

BUSINESS MANAGEMENT

Farm resilience fund - where and how to access free advice

Farm businesses can now access free consultancy advice to help them navigate the loss of the Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) and the move to the Environmental Land Management scheme. Defra’s…

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Case studies

ELM

Famous Yorks estate prepares for new environmental schemes

One large North Yorkshire estate has mapped out its biodiversity and carbon footprint to give it a head start in applying for complex "public money for public goods" environmental schemes.…

ARABLE

Bold agri-environment choice takes land out of production

Protecting and improving the environment is a priority for Robert Law, who has always made good use of agri-environment schemes across the 1,800ha of farmland that he oversees on the…

AGRICULTURAL TRANSITION

Durham Estate team commits to regenerative agriculture

Raby Estate in County Durham has committed to rolling out regenerative agriculture on its 1,250ha farm and building a legacy for future generations. Farm manager Philip Vickers, one of our…

PAYMENTS, SCHEMES AND GRANTS

Environmental schemes: Should farmers make the switch now?

Buying an outlying 40ha block of arable land just as the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) is being introduced gives Salisbury Monitor Farm host Ben Jeans the opportunity to weigh up…

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Insights

AGRICULTURAL TRANSITION

What farmers can do to unlock the value of natural capital

Natural capital is the cornerstone of agricultural policy across the UK. The term encompasses all of nature’s assets: soil, air and water and every living thing, including trees and woodland.…

FARM POLICY

Farmers reveal ‘brutal’ treatment at hands of RPA

Farmers are calling for the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) to carry out a root-and-branch review of how it manages agri-environment schemes amid concerns that hundreds have been unfairly penalised with…

PAYMENTS, SCHEMES AND GRANTS

Who will benefit from Countryside Stewardship rate rise?

Payment rate increases for Countryside Stewardship (CS) may make the scheme a more attractive and viable option for farmers in England looking to offset basic payments cuts, say land agents.…

AGRICULTURAL TRANSITION

Landscape and Local Nature Recovery: What farms need to know

Defra secretary George Eustice is set to unveil plans at the Oxford Farming Conference (OFC) for two new Environmental Land Management (ELM) schemes which will pay farmers in England to…

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News

AGRICULTURAL TRANSITION

Sustainable Farming Incentive applications open in England

Farmers and landowners in England are being urged to take part in the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI), the first element of the government’s new Environmental Land Management (ELM) programme. The…

ELM

Sustainable Farming Incentive opens for applications 30 June

English farmers will be able to apply to take part in the Sustainable Farming Incentive – the first element of the government’s new Environmental Land Management (ELM) scheme – from…

ELM

Fears voiced over common land and SFI

Farm leaders have warned that the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) is still not practical for those in a common land setting, despite potential problems being flagged with Defra more than…

AGRICULTURAL TRANSITION

Farmers will get ‘vast majority’ of BPS cash – Eustice

Defra secretary George Eustice has promised English farmers they will receive the “vast majority” of funds released from the Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) over the next three years, insisting the…

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