The Countryside Stewardship Mid Tier scheme has been granted an extension until the end of 2026, following successful negotiations between the National Farmers’ Union (NFU) and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).
The NFU said that extension of the scheme was an issue it had been campaigning for over the last few months, as the scheme was previously set to expire at the end of this year.
The extension was confirmed in a meeting between NFU president Tom Bradshaw and Defra Secretary of State Emma Reynolds on Tuesday, October 14.
NFU stated that the scheme will “ensure that over 5,000 farmers will be able to continue delivering environmental benefits for the nation.”
NFU
Commenting on the agreement, NFU deputy President David Exwood said: “This result is a culmination of months of campaigning by the NFU.
“In reality, it means that agreement holders will be able to continue delivering everything from wildflower corridors and habitats for farmland birds to nurturing species-rich grassland.”
Looking ahead, Exwood highlighted the importance of the government providing “transparency over budgets and timelines for the rollout of the new Sustainable Farming Incentive scheme.”
He stated that NFU plans on working with Defra on a “long-term, strategic plan for all agri-environment schemes”.
Campaign
NFU has made several efforts to campaign for the scheme leading up to this agreement, including:
- Submitting an Freedom of Information (FOI) request to Defra to establish the number of agreements expiring;
- Writing to the former Minister of Agriculture to highlight concerns about there being a gap between Countryside Stewardship Mid Tier agreements ending and no other agri-environment schemes opening and asking for a year-long extension;
- Meeting the new Defra Secretary Emma Reynolds on her first day of the job to stress the urgency of this issue and the need for a rapid decision;
- Multiple meetings with Defra officials in Westminster and on farm to raise the concerns of expirees;
- Tabling written questions in parliament to highlight the issue and ask for an update from Defra on its plans for expirees;
- Focused lobbying at the Labour Party Conference.
