More than 300 expressions of interest (EOIs) have been submitted since applications opened on 21 July for the new single-focus Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier (CSHT) agreements.
We are making up to 1,200 single-focus agreements available initially.
This strong early interest suggests that farmers and land managers value the opportunity to deliver targeted environmental outcomes through single-focus agreements.
In this post, we provide a reminder of the offer, designed to widen participation in the scheme, and how to express an interest.
A summary
A single-focus agreement is a simplified agreement focused on delivering a single environmental priority.
Through the streamlined EOI process, we want to make it easier for farmers and land managers to access CSHT funding without applying for a more complex, multi-action agreement.
The EOI process is available for single-focus agreements for the following areas:
- species-rich grassland
- scheduled monument management
You must express your interest through the online form on GOV.UK, but before you do:
- read the CSHT guidance on GOV.UK
- check that your business email address and permissions are up to date in the Rural Payments service.
- make sure you have your single business identifier (SBI), customer reference number (CRN), business name, site name and county ready. There is no automatic validation check within the EOI process, so it is important that all details are entered accurately. To avoid delays and ensure your EOI can be progressed, please check that the information provided is correct. If any of the details are incorrect, or if you do not have the necessary permissions to act on behalf of the business, we will be unable to proceed with your EOI.
After this, you can go ahead and complete the online EOI form on GOV.UK.
Depending on your land and its features, you might be interested in more than one single-focus agreement. If this is the case, you must complete a separate EOI form for each.
You will be contacted within 10 weeks of submitting your EOI with the next steps.
Please note that submitting an EOI does not automatically lead to an agreement.
EOIs for species-rich grassland
A Natural England representative will contact you to confirm whether a site visit is required and discuss your proposed application.
When contact is made, it will help you to have information prepared and available about:
- the land you wish to include within the action (the RPA parcel number and size) and, for each parcel, if you intend to manage, restore or create species-rich grassland.
- any supporting information including soil analyses, past grassland survey results, CS Historic Environment Farm Environment Record (CS HEFER - where sites are on a scheduled monument) relevant to your EOI.
EOIs for scheduled monument management
Historic England will contact you to discuss your proposed application, including if they need to visit the site.
Looking ahead
While this post focuses on single-focus agreements, the EOI process can also be used for agroforestry and woodland improvement agreements. Further details are available in the scheme guidance.
We will continue to expand access to CSHT throughout the year and share updates as new opportunities become available.
By subscribing to the Farming Blog, you'll be among the first to hear about these updates, as well as other support available to farmers and land managers in England.
Leave a comment