Working together for sustainable farming
To be released in the summer the roll out of the Sustainable Farming Scheme will be different to the soils standard. You can pick and choose from options and do not have to enter each category. This is a positive change and makes the application simpler. See the table for payment rates and[…]
The important dates for CS applications (for January 2024 agreements) are: 7 February – CS Higher Tier open for applications. 21 March – CS Mid Tier and Wildlife Offers open for applications. 28 April – CS Higher Tier application window closes. 2 June – Deadline to contact the RPA about[…]
Agroforestry can mean many different things but, in essence, it is trees on farms. There are two main types of agroforestry: 1. Silvo-pastoral agroforestry: which means the grazing of animals under trees. The animals enrich the soil while the trees provide shelter, shade and fodder for the animals. 2. Silvo-arable agroforestry: where crops are grown[…]
A hedgerow carbon code tool has been developed by the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust (GWCT) and is now being piloted on 3 farms. The code will encourage hedgerow habitat improvements to increase the amount of carbon stored by hedges, contributing to British farming’s net-zero target and boosting biodiversity. It will[…]
Ponds are often said to be the “best value for your buck” in getting the maximum wildlife benefits with highly mobile species such as dragonflies using them instantly. Creating wetland habitat on the farm will be of benefit for many species and can be done in a day or two with[…]
In November 2022 we met up with around 70 of our fellow advisors who work through our umbrella organisation, the Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group. The FWAG Association sits on the Defra Stakeholder Group so provides us with a valuable line to early information on policy and grant funding streams, and[…]
ELM Associates was delighted this year to sponsor the new Farmed Environment Class for the first time. The updated class criteria covers conservation efforts to benefit farm wildlife but also takes account the management of soil health and carbon stocks, clean water and air quality. There were 5 entrants this year,[…]
ELM Associates has partnered up with SoilMentor to bring to our land managers a resource for monitoring soil health. SoilMentor has been designed by independent agroecologist Nicole Masters, author of ‘For the Love of Soil’ to help farmers know what healthy soils look like, to better understand the impact of land[…]
There are a multitude of grants and funding opportunities available. Find out more about the different options and see which may be most relevant to you.
The Sustainable Farm Incentive is to launch soon so be prepared: Permissions: Applications will be done online and can only be done by someone who has Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) ‘Submit’ permission level. If you want us to help you with the application, give us this level of permission by logging into[…]
