Farmers and conservationists urge Higher Tier expansion

Nature-friendly farmers and conservationists are calling on the Government to channel more funding into the countryside stewardship (CS) higher tier scheme.

The Nature Friendly Farming Network (NFFN) and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) say the scheme has supported farmers in safeguarding vital habitats such as wetlands and meadows, providing homes for rare birds, invertebrates, and plants, while reducing emissions and minimising the environmental impact of farming.

Higher tier is the most ambitious level of countryside stewardship currently available, offering funding for complex, longer-term environmental projects that deliver the greatest benefits for nature.

The two organisations want more farmers across England to be able to access higher level funding support and say scaling up the scheme is “essential for meeting legally-binding targets to halt the decline of nature by the end of the decade”.

Sussex Farmer and South East Farmer correspondent Martin Hole is one of a number of NFFN members featured in a series of videos highlighting the scheme’s impact to date.

Mr Hole, whose farm has extensive wetlands, reedbeds and marshes, said: “The CS scheme has been a fundamental part of how we have been able to manage these internationally important wetlands and increase vegetation and bird numbers.

“We now have more than 20 dragonfly species and over 100 types of aquatic plant. There is still a lot more we can do for nature conservation on our farm, but we need the long-term investment from the higher tier scheme to continue this process.”

The NFFN and RSPB have warned that many farmers ready to do more for nature are being held back by strict limits on the number of higher tier applications accepted. They say that with applications due to reopen this summer, the number of agreements still falls far short of what is needed to meet nature and climate targets.

Jenna Hegarty, NFFN head of policy, said: “Getting the higher tier right is crucial for the scale of change we need. Farmers are on the front line of the climate crisis and nature loss, but nature-friendly farming is a major part of the solution.

“Nature and farming are two sides of the same coin. By supporting nature, we protect our soils, clean our water and air, and produce high-quality food.

“The Government must protect the farming budget through to the end of this parliament. At the same time, farming ministers across the UK must ensure that public money delivers environmental improvements, and that ambitious, high-level schemes remain accessible to the farmers who want to go further for nature.”

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