'Take long term view' on ELS

Many Shropshire and border farmers in the Midlands Natural England region are missing the opportunity to yield £30 per hectare (£12/acre) because they haven't yet enlisted on the Entry Level stewardship Scheme (ELS).

According to Trevor Sheard, farm business adviser for Balfours, current grain prices may be used as an reason for not entering the scheme.

"However farmers need to take a longer term view and look at grain future prices for Nov 2009. ELS does not necessarily mean taking land out of production or leaving all hedgerows uncut. The ELS options are designed to be farming friendly," says Trevor.

Less than 50 per cent of farmers have taken up the scheme to date and as a result Natural England is in danger of missing its target of achieving a 60 per cent uptake on ELS in the region.

Trevor explains: "Natural England is undertaking a review of the way in which the Environmental Stewardship Scheme is to operate in the future and will inevitably have one eye on budgets in doing this. The ELS will be part of this exercise and may undergo significant changes.

The ELS offers farmers £30 per ha (£12 per acre) for agreeing to adopt a range of environmental options.

There are 60 options to choose from representing environmental benefits with little impact on the way in which the business operates.

It is also a simple method of recouping some of the 17 per cent (rising to 19 per cent modulation tax) levied on the Single Farm Payment.

"At present more than half the farmers in the region are forfeiting £30 per hectare. There is a good deal of misinformation and misunderstanding about ELS. Essentially it is payment for undertaking easily achievable environmental practices.