With the deadline for Countryside Stewardship schemes just over two months away, farmers are being encouraged to ensure applications are one hundred percent accurate before submission to take full advantage of the grants on offer.

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Beth Hanson, rural professional at McCartneys, explains that farmers need to move quickly. “The deadline for requesting application packs for Mid-Tier and Water Capital Grants is 31 May, with applications needing to be submitted by 31 July.”

Changes in the application process means it is vital that forms are completed fully, including all relevant supporting evidence on submission, or farmers could risk having their application refused.

“This is the first year that Countryside Stewardship applications will be handled by the Rural Payments Agency (RPA), rather than Natural England,” explains Beth.

“In the past, Natural England have been quite flexible. For example, if farmers sent in an application with errors, or part of the form had been missed, they would contact the farmer and allow them to make corrections.

“However, we’ve been informed that the RPA are unlikely to provide this level of flexibility and therefore, any application which is not completed in full could be rejected.

“This is why it’s more important than ever to submit water tight applications. If you’re in any doubt, seek professional advice because a rejection could result in applicants losing out on the financial benefit for another 12 months.”

Getting advice is not only important to satisfy the processors, explains Beth, but it’s also key to making sure the scheme fits with the farming system.

“Our experience of handling applications over the years means that we understand which options fit well with certain farming systems. We can therefore advise farmers on the best options for them,” she says.

“Countryside Stewardship can be overwhelming and challenging to complete. However, we can help take the hassle out of applications and secure considerable financial benefits for our clients.”

Furthermore, she stresses that now is the time to make the most of Mid-Tier and Water Capital Grants as they are only guaranteed in their current format for the next couple of years.

“We don’t have any steer on what’s going to replace these two grants and with the uncertainty of Brexit ahead, anything that can secure a guaranteed income stream could be highly beneficial to many farm businesses,” says Beth.

“This is why farmers should seriously consider applying to make the most of the benefits while they can.”

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Upcoming grant deadlines:

• Countryside Stewardship Scheme Mid-Tier

This five-year scheme replaces ELS/HLS and if your current ELS/HLS ends before 31 December 2019, or you are not currently on a scheme, you are eligible to apply.  A wide variety of land management options are available to choose from to allow you to create a scheme that fits your farming system.

• Application pack deadline/ consent for some options: 31 May 2019
• Submission deadline: 31 July 2019
• Countryside Stewardship Water Grants

This grant offers up to £10,000 to complete works to improve water quality. To be eligible you need to be within a priority catchment and gain approval for the works from your local Catchment Sensitive Farming Officer (CSFO) before 31 May 2019.

• Application pack request deadline: 31 May 2019
• Submission deadline: 31 July 2019