Environment

The Government is ‘not getting the message’ that the conservation sector needs financial support to weather the Covid-19 storm, the head of the National Trust has said.

As farmers and landowners have just weeks to request an application pack for the Mid-Tier Countryside Stewardship Scheme, Charity Shaw, of Fisher German, explains how it can provide favourable returns.

With farm visits on hold due to Covid-19, Linking Environment And Farming (LEAF) will showcase the vital work of the industry by running its first online Open Farm Sunday.

A number of National Trust environmental initiatives are under threat as the charity faces 200 million losses as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Rural Payments Agency (RPA) has confirmed it will offer bridging loans to farmers still waiting for 2019 stewardship payments.

NFU deputy president Stuart Roberts has reinforced embracing low-emission farming practices will be ‘key’ to ensuring profitable and productive farm businesses.

There are only a few months left until the Mid-Tier Countryside Stewardship application window closes on 31 July 2020.  Countryside Stewardship agreements will continue to be offered in 2022 and 2023, until the new Environmental Land Management Scheme (ELMS) is introduced in 2024.

The UK would need to produce 25-30 per cent ‘less and better’ meat to hit the NFU’s net zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions target by 2040, according to modelling by the Green Alliance.

Nearly half of the UK’s fruit and vegetables are now produced to the environmental standards demanded by the LEAF Marque accreditation scheme.

Harrison Anton, 23, is a farm and environment assistant with CLM, a firm of farm business consultants and land agents working across southern England.