Rule shake-up for Countryside Stewardship as deadline looms

Farmers have been given extra time to submit supporting evidence for their Countryside Stewardship (CS) applications, after it emerged only about 100 completed forms have been returned to Natural England.

The deadline for mid-tier applications to the scheme remains 30 September, but a number of changes have been announced regarding how and when records and evidence need to be provided.

See also: Beginner’s guide to the Countryside Stewardship scheme

Defra has now decided that much of the supporting evidence required with an application can be submitted by 15 December.

However, the completed Historic Environment Farm Environment Record (Hefer) will be required by 31 October and the Farm Environment Record (FER) map, CS options map and woodland management plans will still need to be in by 30 September.

“This means the application will be assessed on the assumption that the required evidence will be provided and, if successful, an agreement offer will be made on that basis,” said Defra.

The government has also bowed to pressure over the requirement to submit photographs of all land management options on an annual basis.

Farm leaders had pointed out this would require people to retain large numbers of pictures during the lifetime of an agreement.

Instead, Natural England will only ask for photographs as part of an annual sample check on claims and agreement holders will get advance notice of this.

Farmers will still be required to provide before and after photographs for some capital items, but they will no longer need to include digital geotags on pictures.

NFU countryside adviser Claire Robinson said the announcement was helpful and would result in a welcome reduction in paperwork.

The latest figures the NFU had been given were that 104 mid-tier applications had been received by 4 September and there had been 4,350 requests for application packs.

“They are not extending the deadline for mid-tier applications, but they are allowing applicants to submit supporting evidence later. This creates some welcome flexibility for applicants.”

A spokeswoman for Natural England said the change in the deadline for evidence and the relaxation of some rules would help people seeking to put an application together.

She declined to comment on the numbers received so far, but pointed out there had been an “encouraging” number of application requests.