Mixed reaction to rollover agreements which will be a setback for some farmers

Writing for Country Post, fourth generation farmer Mr Heseltine, who runs a Belted Galloway and Swaledale sheep farm near Malham, warned farmers are “feeling the squeeze financially” as Defra announced applications to the scheme would be by invitation, on a rolling monthly basis.

Confirming the move, the Government said it was injecting “more than £343 million into the rural economy”, benefiting more than 31,000 farmers.

It said the scheme was part of the “largest ever increase investment in sustainable food production in our country’s history” and quarterly payments provided through the initiative were designed to improve farmers’ cashflow and a rolling application window so customers can apply throughout the year.

The scheme includes actions to improve flood resilience and species abundance and funding to secure enhanced environmental benefits and deliver for nature recovery, including sensitive areas such as Sites of Special Scientific Interest.

Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Steve Reed said the government was “working hard to get money into farmers bank accounts”, with more flexible actions, improved payments to help cashflow and a rolling application window.

The NFU has said the scheme being delayed until the summer would be another “hammer blow” to farmers.

CLA president, Victoria Vyvyan, said: “Farmers are ready to make environmental improvements, while feeding the nation, but the government must back this with the funding and resources needed to grow the rural economy.”

Mr Heseltine, who is also chair of the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority, said it was critical that farmers could access schemes which are suitably ambitious on protecting both the environment and food production.

He said: “It is particularly vital for upland and hill farms like mine at Malham, as farmers like us currently have a smaller range of suitable support options and are consequently not receiving a particularly large chunk of the available funding.”

Mr Heseltine added mirror or rollover agreements being offered to those already in higher tier schemes

were significantly less generous than ones in the forthcoming schemes.

He said: “I do not know how the Government thinks this can be fair or right. It is worrying that progress on nature-friendly farming could go backwards if farmers join less ambitious schemes to ensure the finances stack up.

”This is something we cannot afford when it should be obvious just how urgent tackling the nature and climate crises are, given the extreme weather events we have seen over the past year.”