The dry weather is creating ongoing challenges on farm, forage has been particularly hard hit with livestock producers having to feed winter rations early or buy in feed to make up for poor grass growth. The NFU has called for the government to provide farmers with greater flexibility without fear of scheme payment repercussions, and without the need to request them.
The flexibilities members need to see include:
- Allowing grazing or cutting of option areas for forage. For example, legume fallow options.
- Allowing winter forage crops to be grown on agri-environment areas. This could allow overwinter stubble option area to grow cover crops for forage.
- Allowing supplementary feeding of livestock
- Help where agri-environment options fail. There should be flexibility that options don’t need to be established if conditions are not right. For example, winter and summer cover crops.
Through existing processes, members can contact the RPA to get permission to cut, graze or change how they manage scheme areas. It is vital the RPA responds to these requests in a timely manner.
This case-by-case approach typically comes with financial implications; farm businesses cannot afford to lose money at a time when increased costs are being incurred, affecting much-needed cashflow. We have asked the RPA to consider these pressures on farms.
In the future, it is important that agri-environment schemes are designed in a way that enables farms to adapt to and manage extreme weather events.
Minor and temporary agreement changes
It is important to contact the RPA as soon as possible if you are struggling to deliver on an agri-environment scheme due to dry weather.
Scheme options differ, some but not all do have flexibility when actions need to happen or when you can cut; it will depend on the scheme and start date of that agreement. It is important that members and agents check what individual agreements say.
The RPA will advise on the best way forward, such as a MTA (Minor Temporary Adjustment) for Countryside Stewardship or a CoC (Change of Circumstance) for SFI. The process varies depending on the scheme:
- Countryside Stewardship or HLS agreements – request a minor and temporary amend.
- SFI – use the change of circumstance process.
SFI requires you to email or write to RPA with details of the change you want to make. Find more information at: GOV.UK | SFI scheme information (section 13.2).
The RPA will deal with requests on a case-by-case basis. Please note that adjustments to agreements could lead to agreement values being amended.
Contact the RPA
- Email: [email protected]
- Phone: 03000 200 301
Agri-environment schemes and dry weather: Timeline of NFU work
NFU President meets Defra Secretary on farm to discuss farming challenges
Highlighting the NFU’s proactive work, NFU President Tom Bradshaw put forward suggestions to Defra Secretary Steve Reed on changing Defra’s current approach, particularly around forage needs heading into winter.
Photograph: PagePix Ltd
Timely responses needed
At its next meeting with the RPA on 27 August, the NFU will raise the need for a more flexible approach by the RPA and timely responses to requests for changes to agreements.
NFU calls for future environmental schemes to learn from current drought crisis
As Defra develops the next round of the SFI the NFU is urging the department to ensure the scheme supports farmers’ resilience in the face of a changing climate. With increasingly extreme dry and wet periods, there must be greater flexibility in agri-environment schemes.
Proactive approach needed
The NFU raised calls on Defra and the RPA to take a proactive approach to managing the issues members are having with being able to cut or graze certain options.
NFU President Tom Bradshaw raises concerns at the Great Yorkshire Show
NFU President Tom Bradshaw meets with Farming Minister Daniel Zeichner at the Great Yorkshire Show to raise members' concerns.
NFU raises concerns on dry weather impact
The NFU first raised with the RPA (Rural Payments Agency) our concerns about the impact the dry weather will be starting to have on farms and agri-environmental agreement scheme delivery and the need for a pro-active approach.
The RPA advised that if agreement holders are affected, they need to contact the RPA for either a MTA (Minor Temporary Adjustment) for Countryside Stewardship or a CoC (Change of Circumstance) for SFI, the RPA would monitor the situation.
The NFU has continued to raise our concerns on this nearly weekly at every relevant RPA meeting since. The NFU urged the RPA to act early and warned that farmers would be nervous about submitting an MTA/CoC due to the payment repercussions; numbers of MTA/CoC alone would not be representative of the impact.