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Restoring the River Axe: a Landscape Recovery spotlight

Posted by: , Posted on: - Categories: Payments to restore landscapes and ecosystems
Axe Landscape with two men in foreground with dog

In this guest post, vet Alasdair Moffett describes the work of the Upper Axe Landscape Recovery Project team. Their project aims to demonstrate that productive agriculture, the natural environment and a will to counter climate change can co-exist.

Spotlight on new actions: agroforestry and improvements to our trees and woodland offer

Posted by: , Posted on: - Categories: Payments to plant trees and manage woodland, Sustainable Farming Incentive
Sheep grazing among young trees

The Agricultural Transition Plan update includes the full range of new and updated Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) actions and the payment rates available in 2024. In this post, we focus on the new agroforestry actions and include improvements to the Countryside Stewardship (CS) offer for trees and woodlands.

Watch: webinar on the farming offer in 2024

On Friday 26 January, we held a webinar for farmers. During the session, we went through the actions and payments available through our environmental land management schemes in 2024. This post includes a link to the recording.

Wigan Greenheart Landscape Recovery: an industrial past and a thriving future 

Posted by: , Posted on: - Categories: Payments to restore landscapes and ecosystems

The Wigan Greenheart Landscape Recovery project covers a combined area of approximately 1,446 hectares in Lancashire. In this post, project manager Tony Da Silva shares an overview of the site, its history and the project team's ambition to support a thriving natural environment in which people, wildlife and agriculture can flourish.

Next round of Large R&D Partnerships competition on the way

Posted by: , Posted on: - Categories: Things we're doing
A hand holding a rapeseed pod

On 15 January, we’ll open another round of the Large R&D Partnerships competition. Part of the Farming Innovation Programme, this competition offers a share of £7.8 million to farmers, growers and foresters in England to take forward ideas that improve productivity, sustainability, resilience and move the sector towards net zero. Together with our delivery partners Innovate UK, part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), we published the competition guidance today. 

Apply now for grant to support private investment in nature

Posted by: , Posted on: - Categories: Payments to support private investment
Image of a farm building and sheep on a gradient

At the end of November, we shared details of a grant designed to help farmers attract private investment into nature. We said we’d blog again when it was time to apply and we’re pleased to say that from today, you can.  This post includes a link for you to watch a recording of our webinar on the grant.

Coming soon: grants to attract private investment in nature

Posted by: , Posted on: - Categories: Payments to support private investment
Patchwork of fields in the south-west of England

The Natural Environment Investment Readiness Fund (NEIRF) will soon offer grants designed to help farmers attract private investment in nature. You’ll be able to apply for a grant on 11 December 2023. We've published guidance for the grant on GOV.UK to help you prepare.

Landscape Recovery: sharing the successful second round projects

Posted by: , Posted on: - Categories: Payments to restore landscapes and ecosystems
Two men and a dog stand in the Axe landscape

In this post, I'm pleased to share the 34 successful projects in the second round of Landscape Recovery. This £25 million round will fund 12 more projects than the previous round, demonstrating our commitment to funding that delivers environmental benefits in harmony with food production. 

Further innovation grants coming soon 

Posted by: , Posted on: - Categories: Payments for research and innovation
Bunches of carrots piled on top of each other

This month, we will open another round of the Small R&D Partnership Projects competition and, in September, another round of the Feasibility Studies competition will follow. In this post, I’ll give you a brief overview of the competitions. I'll also include links to guidance, share details of upcoming webinars and include dates to note. 

Introducing Animal Health and Welfare Infrastructure grants

Posted by: , Posted on: - Categories: Payments to support animal health and welfare
A sweet little calf looking at the camera with ear tag

In this post, we share the next steps of the Animal Health and Welfare Pathway. Through the first round of the Animal Health and Welfare Equipment and Technology grant, over £19 million will be awarded to more than 3,000 pig, cattle, poultry and sheep farmers. A new Animal Health and Welfare Infrastructure grant is also on the way: the Calf Housing for Health and Welfare grant.