Due to wet weather, the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) have introduced temporary adjustments to agri-environment scheme options and actions in England.
These temporary adjustments are for live Countryside Stewardship (CS), Environmental Stewardship (ES), Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) and SFI pilot agreements to give agreement holders more time to establish or defer some activity. The start of these temporary adjustments took effect from 1st October 2023 but do not apply to agreements that started on or after 1st August 2024.
The CS, ES options, and SFI and SFI pilot actions that have temporary adjustments can be viewed here. The current requirement is shown, together with the temporary requirement adjustment.
You do not need to contact the RPA to amend your agreement as the temporary adjustments will automatically apply to the options and actions listed. It is recommended that you retain a copy of this announcement for your records.
You should also keep any evidence in case the RPA need to see it. Evidence can include:
- Farm records showing field operations at a land parcel level.
- Associated invoices and photographs of how you attempted the options and actions and have been affected by the weather conditions.
When you might need to contact the RPA
You will need to request an adjustment to your agreement, if:
- You do not believe you can meet the aims of the option or action within the temporary adjustments and extended timeframes.
- The option or action affected is not listed.
For CS and ES you can do this through the Minor and Temporary Adjustment process. For SFI use the SFI query form to let the RPA know about a change of circumstance.
Read more at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/wet-weather-temporary-support-for-farmers-in-2024
