8:50am Friday 12th February 2010
The NFU has worked with Natural England and Defra to ensure that the new Uplands Entry Level Scheme works for farmers, smallholders and growers on the ground in delivering both food production and environmental management.
The NFU says that hill farmers play a vital role in maintaining the upland landscape and a scheme for UELS needs to ensure they are able to produce food while impacting less on the environment – vital given the food production challenge now looming.
And the importance of under-grazing has been recognised with the new UELS, launched today, being the first agri-environment scheme to set a minimum rather than maximum stocking density on moorland reflecting the importance of grazing animals to the environment.
NFU uplands spokesman Will Cockbain said: “We will be watching take-up closely as the scheme must benefit those who actively manage the uplands, especially by maintaining grazing.
“The five-year agreement term will mean that some must apply jointly with landlord and/or other graziers. We urge Natural England and Defra to provide assistance to make joint agreement a clear and easy route for all, and to ensure that the tenants and graziers, including those with short term agreements that Hillary Benn referred to in his December 2008 announcement, are fully rewarded.”
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