Stewardship funding fiasco

Dec 15, 2006

Having had the ERDP rejected, NE will now have to wait until at least mid 2007 to get a new proposal accepted. The latest information is that they will accept Entry Level Stewardship applications on a provisional basis, and that agreement holders will be back-paid. The news on the Higher Level is more bleak - they are likely to raise the threshold score so high that no-body gets an agreement. However, they will still have to pay for the necessary Farm Environment Plan (FEP). FEPs are valid for at least 3 years, maybe 5. We therefore recommend that potential applicants should still go ahead with the FEP and application in 2007. You can then reapply using the same FEP and details as many times as you like, for no extra cost. That way, you will be ahead of the game when they get their funding back.

MAB Environment & Ecology Ltd. The Old Chapel, Knayton, Thirsk YO7 4AZ. Limited company no. 6504129.