- Rules relaxed to allow farmers to cut or graze areas of land
set aside in their agreements
- Practical support already available from the Rural Payments
Agency and the Environment Agency
More support for farmers has been set out today to help them deal
with the impacts of some of the driest weather for decades, Defra
has confirmed today (17 August).
The measures mean that they will have the option to relax rules
in their agri-environment scheme agreements, to make it easier to
provide vital food for livestock. The changes come into effect
from today and last until the end of 2022, and allow agreement
holders in the Countryside Stewardship or Environmental
Stewardship schemes to take steps such as cutting or grazing
additional areas of land to help ease shortages of bedding,
fodder, grazing or forage crops.
A full list of these
easements has been published by the Rural Payment Agency
(RPA) and includes steps, such as allowing ‘buffer strips’ and
field corners to be cut early. Guidance for farmers
in hot and dry weather has also been made available to inform
farmers how to record the adjustments they have made.
The new rules will help increase access to bedding, fodder,
grazing or forage in ways that limit its environmental impact.
Forage crops – those fed to livestock or plants grown to then be
cut for food – are also being impacted as less silage is made and
farmers are feeding stocks to their livestock now, instead of
saving them for the winter months.
It comes as last week, the Environment Agency declared drought
status for large parts of England, including the South West,
South East and East, with Yorkshire added on Tuesday 16 August.
Environment Secretary said:
“We are better prepared than ever before for these unprecedented
dry conditions, but many farmers are concerned about water
supplies and the impact on their crops and livestock.
“We are therefore introducing temporary easements on
agri-environment schemes to give them the flexibility to
respond.”
Paul Caldwell, chief executive of the Rural Payments Agency,
said:
“We know that farmers are facing pressures as they deal with the
consequences of these exceptionally dry conditions, and we hope
these practical steps will help farmers safeguard food production
and help with animal welfare.
“We are committed to supporting agreement holders as much as we
can during this difficult period and help ensure that they can
maintain existing environmental commitments.”
Through its agriculture monitoring groups and working closely
with industry organisations Defra is continuing to assess the
impacts from dry weather and is considering what further steps
can be taken in the coming weeks.
Defra recognises long term planning for on-farm water
infrastructure is needed, which is why in November 2021 the Rural
Payments Agency launched the Water
Management grant, where £10 million was provided for farmers
to improve on-farm water management, such as water reservoirs and
new irrigation systems. Further rounds of funding for new
applicants will open in the autumn.
Last month, the Rural Payment Agency also issued guidance on
how to deal with difficulties arising from unusual weather on
how to deal with difficulties arising from unusual weather
affecting farming schemes, including Countryside Stewardship,
Environmental Stewardship, Farm Woodland Premium Scheme and the
Woodland Grant Scheme.
The Environment Agency is working closely with farmers to support
the industry and a package of measures to help with access to
water has been introduced in order to safeguard food production
and animal welfare without causing harm to the environment. These
include options for farmers to access water, including through
the use of short term water rights trading between licence
holders and allowing flexibility with abstraction licences where
the Environment Agency can ensure that the environment and other
users will be protected. Where there is a real or imminent threat
to crops and livestock, farmers should contact the EA to discuss
availability of water.
There is no immediate threat to food supply as a result of the
current hot weather, and the UK has a high degree of food
security built on supply from diverse sources, strong domestic
production as well as imports through stable trade routes.
