Uptake of stewardship schemes has dropped off in recent months, as some farmers hesitate rather than renew their support and others, unsure of what the pending Common Agricultural Policy reforms will bring, err on the side of caution.

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However, farming industry bodies have warned that, if the number of subscribers to voluntary environmental management schemes such as the Campaign for the Farmed Environment and LEAF falls too far, meaning targets are not met, the government could impose mandatory cross compliance regulation.  

Speaking earlier in the week before the EFRA select committee meeting on CAP reforms, NFU President Peter Kendall warned that uncertainty over the future and current market volatility is slowing uptake of the schemes. He assured that uncertainty in the industry is a "very real issue", and one that is currently preventing farmers from renewing their agri-environment scheme agreements.

Kendall proposed that, in order to incentivise entering into agreements, the UK government could push to extend the categories of farmers automatically eligible for the greening aid under new CAP rules to include those in recognised schemes. He also warned that, if the CAP proposals are implemented as they currently stand, family livestock farmers will have "an absolute nightmare" if they are required to start growing three crops and take land out of production "just as a tick box exercise."

In a similar bout of incentivisation, Welsh government officials today pledged that farmers will be able to quit Glastir, the welsh government’s sustainable land management scheme, without paying penalties if the scheme is "substantially changed" due to CAP greening measures.

Deputy farming minister Alun Davies made the announcement in an attempt to reassure farmers considering entering the All-Wales Element (AWE) of Glastir. He said the Welsh government had reached an agreement with the European Commission that farmers would be eligible for full re-imbursement if they quit Glastir following CAP greening.

Davies said, "I would like to reassure farmers who are still undecided about joining the Glastir AWE that they will not be disadvantaged. I hope this reassurance will remove a barrier for those considering entering the scheme and encourage them to sign up."

FUW land use committee chairman Gavin Williams welcomed the news. He commented, "Farmers were concerned that as they had to undertake their capital works early in the scheme agreement, if the scheme then became untenable due to the CAP reforms they would be out of pocket as payments for the works are paid over the five years of the agreement."