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Robert Legislation © Tim Scrivener
Defending and enhancing the surroundings is a precedence for Robert Legislation, who has at all times made good use of agri-environment schemes throughout the 1,800ha of farmland that he oversees on the Hertfordshire/Cambridgeshire border.
It was this give attention to stewardship which led to him taking the daring choice to take 17% of 1 farm out of manufacturing in 2021.
Over the previous 30 years, the enterprise has been concerned in a continuous programme of restoring present woodlands and hedgerows, in addition to planting new ones.
See additionally: Countryside Stewardship – key adjustments for 2023 agreements
Alongside this, pollinator mixes and farmland hen margins have been established, habitat for ground-nesting birds has been created and species-rich chalk grassland in a web site of particular scientific curiosity (SSSI) has been protected with cautious grazing.
“Our environmental commitments are simply as necessary as our farming ones. We now have made them work collectively, in order that they go hand in hand, and are mutually helpful,” says Mr Legislation, who’s internet hosting Cereals for the fifth time this yr.
Good choice on the time
Arable reversion has been used earlier than at Thrift Farm, however Mr Legislation recognises that what can appear a very good choice on the time does change – stating that the two-year rotational sown legume fallow choice AB15 regarded very enticing earlier than the Russian-Ukrainian battle.
“With wheat nicely over £300/t, these choices aren’t as simple as they had been. Placing in huge tracts of AB15 at £569/ha has misplaced its attraction, so I’m happy we didn’t go down that route,” he says
Relying on the location, having livestock makes it simpler the place there’s archaeology or an SSSI to guard, as they’re eager for these areas to be grazed, he says.
So far as his farming actions are involved, high-value crops are grown for seed and human consumption, whereas an 1,800 breeding ewe sheep enterprise is an integral a part of the system and helps to maximise the usage of each hectare.
Cattle are a newer introduction, with a 50-strong suckler herd making good use of stewardship grass and everlasting pasture.
New Stewardship Scheme
Again in 2019, bringing a brand new 150ha farm into the Legislation Farming fold gave him the chance to take a look at how he might use a brand new Mid Tier Countryside Stewardship (CS) settlement to ship environmental advantages.
Working with Katie Hilton at Cheffins, the principle consideration at Heath Farm was the presence of a Scheduled Monument in a big arable discipline, which Historic England was eager to see protected.
As Ms Hilton explains, the choice was made to take 26ha out of arable manufacturing and put it right down to grass, utilizing the archaeological grassland choice HS2, which has a fee charge of £459/ha.
“It was a serious change, because it accounted for 17% of the farm. We additionally received a capital works grant, which meant that we might put within the fencing and water infrastructure required to place the sheep on it in the summertime,” she says.
The dedication with HS2 is {that a} grass sward must be maintained over the archaeological function, whereas any soil disturbance and floor harm should be minimised, she explains.
“On this case, it was straightforward for Mr Legislation to tackle such an bold plan, as he strikes the sheep across the farms and makes use of the grazing for his dry ewes. Placing it into grass made sense,” she says.
Hedgerow restoration
Different choices taken up had been capital grants for hedgerow restoration and each AB8 (flower-rich margins) and AB9 (winter hen meals), which pay £628/ha and £640/ha respectively.
“It was all designed in such a method that we developed a community of margins that hyperlink to the realm of archaeological grassland, so there’s connectivity of habitats,” she says.
The entire farm settlement began in 2021 and the choices and grassland have established nicely, with the hedgerow restoration work additionally accomplished.
Because it began, CS fee charges have gone up by a mean of 30%, in a bid to draw extra farmers to enroll, with the promise of transferring into the native nature restoration stage of the Environmental Land Administration (ELM) scheme.
The place subsequent with Stewardship?
At a pivotal time for stewardship schemes and with the primary components of the Environmental Land Administration (ELM) scheme on the desk, the monetary incentives to ship environmental advantages are beginning to pale as compared with the probably returns from arable crops.
Having signed as much as his Heath Farm settlement for 5 years, Robert Legislation is unsure about what’s going to observe when the settlement involves an finish – likening the scenario to a stalemate.
“The countryside stewardship fee charges did go up, however that was earlier than the Ukraine invasion.
“It’s not clear that many extra will signal as much as these agreements whereas commodity markets are so unstable and agricultural coverage is altering,” he says.
He accepts that he might go into the Sustainable Farming Incentive, however he isn’t more likely to make that call any time quickly, with charges being low and full particulars nonetheless to emerge.
“I’ve received two huge HLS/ELS schemes coming to an finish in 2023 and 2024, which I could also be provided extensions on if I don’t make any adjustments.
“In any other case, I’ve simply signed mirror agreements for different Mid Tier agreements for the subsequent 5 years, though they might be terminated earlier than that,” he says.
Making the appropriate choices about subsequent week is tough within the present excessive price local weather, he provides, not to mention the subsequent 5 years.
Katie Hilton of Cheffins experiences that almost all of farms in Mid Tier schemes are opting to proceed with them as they arrive to an finish – however larger readability and extra element on the brand new schemes could be useful, particularly with market situations altering.
“Anybody who’s new to stewardship isn’t being given a lot confidence to go in now – there appear to be new causes to not do it,” she says.
“Taking land out of manufacturing for 5 years is a daring transfer and there might be restrictions on with the ability to domesticate it once more as soon as the settlement is completed.
“Be sure to have taken good recommendation and consulted broadly.”
Cereals 2022
Plenty of consultants can be available to supply recommendation on stewardship schemes on the Cereals occasion.
That is happening on Wednesday 8 and Thursday 9 June at Chrishall Grange, close to Duxford, Cambridgshire.
Extra info and to e-book tickets
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