The Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier will open to direct applications from farmers and land managers for the first time, with at least £50m available for new agreements this year.
Speaking at regenerative farming festival Groundswell on Thursday, Defra secretary Emma Reynolds said farmers and land managers would be able to apply for woodland, agroforestry and new single-focus agreements to restore species-rich grassland. An initial cohort of up to 1,200 single-focus agreements are available.
The aim, she said, would be to help more businesses secure funding to restore nature while producing food. When the scheme launched last September, farmers and land managers could only apply if invited by Natural England or the Forestry Commission as part of a phased rollout.
Natural England will prioritise farmers with agreements ending, or those who have already completed the preparatory work needed to apply. The government said it would begin trialling applications on common land ahead of implementing a wider rollout later this year.
The changes build on the government’s commitment to making environmental schemes more accessible – a pledge mentioned in the Farming Roadmap released last week. It comes after the Sustainable Farming Incentive reopened this week, billed as “simpler and fairer”.
“Every thriving meadow restored, every historic landscape protected and every woodland managed more sustainably starts with farmers and land managers who care deeply,” Reynolds said. “The Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier will be simpler and easier for more applicants to access, giving more farmers and land managers the opportunity to invest in their businesses while helping to create a richer, greener countryside for future generations.”
In response, NFU vice-president Robyn Munt said opening the scheme to direct applications would make it easier for farmers and growers “delivering for nature and the environment” to access the scheme.
He also said it brought “much-needed transparency” to a process that “we have been calling to improve for years”.
“Just last month, I met the former farming minister to highlight the benefits of single-focus agreements and the need to improve access for common land users,” Munt said.
“These changes should help cut bureaucracy and encourage wider uptake of valuable environmental management, such as species-rich grassland restoration, alongside food production,” he added. “We look forward to seeing further details on how the new agreements will operate.
“The common land trial will be particularly welcome news for commoners and graziers. It is important that this work progresses quickly so it can be applied to a wider rollout.
“We will continue to press for a similar approach to be adopted within the Sustainable Farming Incentive.”
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