Farming News - Warning over new environment agreements

Warning over new environment agreements

02/03/2011

Budget cuts at Natural England could mean a lack of support for farmers switching from Environmentally Sensitive Area (ESA) agreements to the new Higher Level Stewardship (HLS) programme, according to East of England-based specialist accountants for farmers Moore Thompson.

The Higher Level Stewardship scheme was introduced in 2005, with farmers moving over as existing ten-year ESA and other schemes expire.


Hundreds of thousands of acres are set to come out of ESA by 2014, but farmers’ leaders have expressed concern that a lack of on-the-ground advice could lead to farmers finding it difficult to get to grips with the more complicated HLS application procedure.


Support has traditionally been provided by Natural England – an independent public body tasked with protecting and improving England’s natural environment – but that organisation faces significant cuts to its budget over the coming year as the government’s austerity programme takes effect.


Moore Thompson partner Andrew Heskin said: "HLS offers a number of additional benefits compared to ESA, including the possibility of grants for capital works such as the restoration of traditional farm buildings, but its added complexity and more targeted nature mean farmers have generally required support through the application process.


"Natural England has been told to reduce staff numbers by around 30 per cent, and while it is encouraging that the organisation has pledged to minimise the impact on front-line services, the impact of these cuts on farmers needs to be closely monitored at a time when many of them are facing complicated changes to their environmental stewardship agreements."