Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier to open for applications

Defra has confirmed that applications for Higher Tier Countryside Stewardship (CS) are due to open this week, with a supposedly simpler online application process.

More than 1,500 farm businesses and land managers have been invited to apply for the latest round of funding and receive pre-application advice, with support being made available by Natural England and the Forestry Commission.

Details around the individual actions have been published in the past week, including new actions related to improving water quality and protecting watercourses.

See also: How environmental schemes are affecting UK arable area

Four new agroforestry actions have also been introduced, which are focused on reducing soil erosion, improving water and air quality, providing shade and shelter for crops and livestock, and reducing flooding.

Meanwhile, a new action for managing species-rich floodplain meadows will be paid at £1,070/ha a year over a five-year period, which is designed to provide flood water storage, and protect wildlife habitats.

Defra guidance states: “Each action includes optional advice to support farmers, foresters and land managers.

“This advice is there to help, but it’s not a requirement of the action.”

The scheme will include monthly agreement start dates and payments for the actions are due to be made quarterly.

The NFU has indicated that priority will be given to Higher Tier CS agreements due to expire at the end of 2025, with other agreement holders due be contacted closer to the agreement end date.

Defra’s Farming and Countryside Programme annual report 2024 to 2025 shows that it had issued 31,896 CS revenue payments by 31 March 2025.

Its total spend for agri-environment schemes for the 2024-25 financial year, including CS or Environmental Stewardship, totalled £906m, with £526m of this linked to Agriculture Act spend and the reminder linked to other legislative powers.

The report states that funding for Environmental Land Management schemes paid to farmers is expected to grow from £1.39bn in 2024-25, to £2bn by 2028-29.