CFE: What do you have to do?
The pressure’s on to join the Campaign for the Farmed Environment, but exactly what do you have to do? Tom Allen-Stevens and Mike Abram quiz campaign co-ordinator Corrina Gibbs and FWAG technical director, Jim Egan.
1. What are the aims of the Campaign for the Farmed Environment (CFE)?
The CFE is about ensuring the environmental benefits of set-aside land are retained, and we’re encouraging farmers to do that, by undertaking a manageable amount of environmental measures on their farm.
It is important those measures not only benefit the environment, but can fit in with farming practice and can also contribute towards the farm’s bottom line.
2. What do I have to do?
There are options for all farmers regardless of whether you have an ELS agreement.
But one of the key ways to help the campaign is to renew your ELS agreement, or take part if you haven’t before. ELS is the bedrock on which CFE is based.
If your ELS agreement is up for renewal this year, then you need to look carefully at the choices and make sure you choose enough key target options that count towards CFE targets.
Ideally, 30% of your ELS points should be in key target options. Most expiring agreements will have used management to gain just under 30% of the required points. With these no longer available, switching those points to key CFE target options is a good way of meeting the points target and qualifying for the £30/ha annual ELS payment.
Remember, quality is the key. Not all ELS options, including hedge and ditch management, will count towards campaign targets.
The same advice applies for growers entering into ELS for the first time this year: Choose enough key target options to help CFE meet its targets.
If you are already in ELS, then any qualifying options will be automatically recorded.
The campaign is also asking all farmers to implement voluntary measures outside of ELS agreements. This is particularly relevant for farmers not in ELS and for those not renewing ELS agreements this year.
Finally, keep all your uncropped land and record it.
There’s nothing more to fill in – ELS is recorded through Natural England, uncropped land is registered in the June census and a DEFRA survey of CFE activity will reflect uptake of voluntary measures.
What are the key ELS target options?The key ELS target options are land uses that encourage biodiversity and a richer variety of wildlife. They include in-field options, such as skylark plots, winter cover crops and extended winter stubbles, as well as options such as wild birdseed and nectar flower mixtures, and 12m buffer strips for watercourse protection. For more information visit the CFE website. Chosen wisely these will make best use of your marginal land. They relate to management of fields or part-fields that are cropped, have been taken out of production or are rotationally cropped. CFE has focused on these areas because they have the greatest potential to replace the in-field areas of biodiversity that set-aside land was previously deemed to deliver. |
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3. When should I start?
Action starts now. You need to decide which areas on your farm will become your key target options before you drill your 2011 crop.
We recommend that all farmers look at their farm through the key themes of resource protection, farmland birds and farm wildlife.
First, look at soil and water management issues on your farm. Do you have any soil erosion or run-off issues? Does how you farm affect water quality? If the answer is yes to either, you should consider using an option such as buffering water courses, or introducing in-field areas to prevent run-off to address these issues. This will help comply with regulations such as the soil protection review, as well as meet the CFE targets.
From there, consider what management you can undertake to benefit farmland birds, and wider farm wildlife.
This is where you can work out how to incorporate under-performing land into a commercially viable ELS agreement.
Awkward corners, areas around telegraph poles or trees, boggy patches and those next to water courses or ponds are ideal to take out, or keep out, of production. Decide how best to manage these to meet campaign targets. If there’s a shoot on your farm, game patches make an excellent contribution.
Adding an additional voluntary option on top of your ELS agreement is a good way to trial options, such as a pollen and nectar mix, without jeopardising your ELS agreement.
Every farmer must do their bit. If less than 30% of your points in ELS are contributing to key target options, for example, you are relying on your neighbour to make up the difference.
4. What happens if it fails?
If surveys suggest targets are not going to be met over the next two years you could be forced into environmental management. Every farm would have to actively manage environmental options set down by DEFRA as a cross-compliance requirement – a bit like a gold-plated set-aside scheme.
There would be no payment for this and it would be regulated and undoubtedly result in extra paperwork. Industry estimates suggest it would also be more costly than CFE as you would have less flexibility to follow options that suit your farming system. For example, it seems likely set-aside trading of entitlements wouldn’t be allowed, nor growing industrial crops.
With the Campaign for the Farmed Environment, there’s no inspection, no fine for making a mistake, and – if you’re in ELS – you get paid for doing your bit for the environment.
What do YOU need to do?
1) Renew your ELS agreement, or enter into a scheme if you haven’t before
2) Choose ELS in-field options that count towards CFE targets
3) Add a voluntary measure, particularly if you are not renewing ELS this year, or not in ELS
4) Retain your current level of uncropped land
5) Remember ELS is recorded through Natural England, uncropped land registered in the June Census, and uptake of voluntary measures will be recorded by a DEFRA survey. There is no additional paperwork to fill in.
