Official Gazette Notification Text
Official TranscriptStatus: This is the original version (as it was originally made). This item of legislation is currently only available in its original format. STATUTORY INSTRUMENTS 2024 No. 391 AGRICULTURE, ENGLAND COUNTRYSIDE, ENGLAND The Countryside Stewardship (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2024 at 1.55 p.m. on 18th Made - - - - March 2024 at 4.30 p.m. on 18th Laid before Parliament March 2024 Coming into...
Status: This is the original version (as it was originally made). This item of legislation is currently only available in its original format.
STATUTORY INSTRUMENTS 2024 No. 391 AGRICULTURE, ENGLAND COUNTRYSIDE, ENGLAND The Countryside Stewardship (England)
(Amendment) Regulations 2024 at 1.55 p.m. on 18th Made - - - - March 2024 at 4.30 p.m. on 18th Laid before Parliament March 2024 Coming into force - - 8th April 2024 The Secretary of State makes these Regulations, with the consent of the Treasury, in exercise of the powers conferred by section 98 of the Environment Act 1995(1).
Citation, commencement, extent, and application
1.—(1) These Regulations may be cited as the Countryside Stewardship (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2024 and come into force on 8th April 2024.
(2) These Regulations extend to England and Wales but apply to England only.
Amendment to the Countryside Stewardship (England) Regulations 2020
2. In the Countryside Stewardship (England) Regulations 2020(2), for Part 2 of the Schedule (management activities) substitute the new Part 2 set out in the Schedule to these Regulations.
Mark Spencer Minister of State Department for Environment, Food and Rural At 1.55 p.m. on 18th March 2024 Affairs
(1) 1995 c. 25, as amended by the Scotland Act 1998 (Consequential Modifications) (No.2) Order 1999 (S.I. 1999/1820). Section 98(5) defines the appropriate Minister. The functions of the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (which related only to England) were transferred to the Secretary of State by virtue of article 2(2) of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Dissolution) Order 2002 (S.I. 2002/794).
(2) S.I 2020/41, as amended by S.I. 2021/42, 2022/141, 2023/159, 968.Document Generated: 2024-04-08
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We consent Joy Morrissey Amanda Milling Two of the Lord Commissioners of His 14th March 2024 Majesty’s Treasury 2Document Generated: 2024-04-08
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SCHEDULE Regulation 2 NEW PART 2 OF THE SCHEDULE TO THE COUNTRYSIDE STEWARDSHIP (ENGLAND) REGULATIONS 2020 “PART 2 MANAGEMENT ACTIVITIES Column 1 Column 2 Column 3 Activity name Description Maximum payment rate per agreement year
1. Arable
(a) Nectar flower mix Establishing and £739 per hectare maintaining a mixture of pollen and nectar (“ha”) rich plants on arable land
(b) Basic overwinter Retention of £84 per ha stubble overwintered stubble until the following February
(c) Beetle banks Creation (if £764 per ha appropriate) or maintenance of beetle banks
(d) Skylark plots Creation of skylark £11 per plot (minimum plots to access growing 2 plots per ha) cereal
(e) Nesting plots for Establishing and £765 per ha lapwing and stone maintaining plots for curlew ground-nesting birds
(f) Enhanced overwinter Retention of £589 per ha stubble overwintered stubble until the following July
(g) Whole crop cereals Planting and £596 per ha harvesting whole crop cereals followed by overwintered stubble
(h) Flower-rich margins Establishing flower- £798 per ha and plots rich grass margins or plots as habitat and foraging for invertebrates and birds 3Document Generated: 2024-04-08
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(i) Winter bird food Establishing blocks or £853 per ha strips of cereals, brassicas and other plants providing food for farmland birds, especially for autumn and winter
(j) Unharvested cereal Creation of an £1,072 per ha headland unharvested, open structured cereal crop for wildlife
(k) Cultivated areas for Creation of uncropped, £660 per ha arable plants cultivated areas for scarce and declining arable plants
(l) Supplementary winter Spreading winter feed £732 per tonne for feeding for farmland mixture for birds in every 2 ha of winter birds selected feeding areas bird food
(m) Brassica fodder crop Establishing and £100 per ha managing a brassica fodder crop as foraging sites for birds
(n) Harvested low input Establishing and £354 per ha cereal managing an open- structure cereal crop as summer foraging for wildlife
(o) Two year sown legume Establishing and £593 per ha fallow managing a legume fallow mix as food for farmland wildlife
(p) Autumn sown Establishing and £747 per ha bumblebird mix managing a mix of flowering and seed bearing plants after harvest as food for farmland birds and insects
2. Boundaries, Trees and Orchards
(a) Protection of in-field Protection of in-field £553 per ha trees on arable land trees on arable land
(b) Protection of in-field Protection of in-field £295 per ha trees on intensive trees on intensive grassland grassland 4Document Generated: 2024-04-08
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(c) Management of Management of £13 per 100 metres hedgerows hedgerow (one-side) (“m”) for 1 side of a hedge
(d) Management of Management of £264 per ha traditional orchards traditional orchards
(e) Creation of traditional Creation of traditional £471 per ha orchards orchards
(f) Veteran tree surgery Carrying out specialist £488 per tree tree surgery to extend the lifespan of veteran trees
(g) Supplement for Restorative pruning of restorative pruning of mature fruit trees £146 per tree fruit trees
3. Coastal
(a) Management of coastal Management of coastal £620 per ha sand dunes and sand dunes and vegetated shingle vegetated shingle
(b) Creation of coastal Creation of coastal £773 per ha sand dunes and sand dunes and vegetated shingle on vegetated shingle on arable land and arable land and improved grassland improved grassland
(c) Management of coastal Management of coastal £724 per ha saltmarsh saltmarsh
(d) Creation of inter-tidal Creation of inter-tidal £812 per ha and saline habitat on and saline habitat on arable land arable land
(e) Creation of inter-tidal Creation of inter-tidal £494 per ha and saline habitat by and saline habitat by non-intervention non-intervention
(f) Coastal vegetation Management of £123 per ha management grazing on saltmarsh or supplement saline habitat
(g) Creation of inter-tidal Creation of inter-tidal and saline habitat on and saline habitat on £494 per ha intensive grassland intensive grassland
4. Grassland
(a) Take small areas out of Taking small areas £365 per ha management of permanent grassland out of management
(1) “SDA” is defined in Part 1 of the Schedule to S.I. 2020/41.
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(b) Permanent grassland Management of £151 per ha with very low inputs permanent grassland outside SDAs (1) with very low inputs outside SDAs
(c) Ryegrass seed-set as Establishing a ryegrass £515 per ha winter food for birds seed-set on grassland to provide food in the autumn and winter for birds
(d) Legume and herb-rich Establishment and £382 per ha swards maintenance of legume and herb-rich swards
(e) Permanent grassland Management of £151 per ha with very low inputs in permanent grassland SDAs with very low inputs in SDAs
(f) Management of Management of £646 per ha species-rich grassland species-rich grassland
(g) Restoration towards Restoration towards £646 per ha species-rich grassland species-rich grassland
(h) Creation of species- Creation of species- £646 per ha rich grassland rich grassland
(i) Management of wet Management of wet £676 per ha grassland for breeding grassland for breeding waders waders
(j) Management of wet Management of wet £547 per ha grassland for wintering grassland for wintering waders and wildfowl waders and wildfowl
(k) Creation of wet Creation of wet £676 per ha grassland for breeding grassland for breeding waders waders
(l) Creation of wet Creation of wet £547 per ha grassland for wintering grassland for wintering waders and wildfowl waders and wildfowl
(m) Management of Management of £528 per ha grassland for target grassland for targeted features habitats, species or features
(n) Creation of grassland Creation of grassland £528 per ha for target features for targeted habitats, species or features
(o) Haymaking Continue or re- £157 per ha supplement introduce haymaking on fields which are or
(1) “SDA” is defined in Part 1 of the Schedule to S.I. 2020/41.
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(p) Rush infestation Reduce rush cover in £95 per ha control supplement grassland with heavy infestations
(q) Lenient grazing Management of supplement grazing to provide £44 per ha spring and summer invertebrate food
(1) “SDA” is defined in Part 1 of the Schedule to S.I. 2020/41.
5. Historic environment and landscape
(a) Maintenance of Maintenance of £5 per square metre weatherproof weatherproof (“sq m”) traditional farm traditional farm buildings buildings
(b) Take historic and Taking land with £613 per ha archaeological features archaeological or out of cultivation historic features out of cultivation
(c) Reduced-depth, non- Reducing damage £115 per ha inversion cultivation to historical and on historic and archaeological features archaeological features under cultivation by using non- inversion machinery and shallower cultivation depths
(d) Scrub control on Controlling scrub £215 per ha historic and on historic and archaeological features archaeological features
(e) Management of Management of £55 per ha historic and historic and archaeological features archaeological features on grassland on grassland
(f) Maintenance of Maintenance of £2,512 per ha designed/ engineered designed or engineered water bodies water bodies
(g) Management of Management of £863 per ha historic water historic water meadows through meadows through traditional irrigation traditional irrigation
(h) Maintenance of Maintenance of £8 per sq m weatherproof weatherproof traditional farm traditional farm 7Document Generated: 2024-04-08
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(i) Restricted depth crop Restricting the depth £257 per ha establishment to of crop establishment protect archaeology to protect archaeology under an arable under an arable rotation rotation
6. Lowland heath
(a) Management of Management of £412 per ha lowland heathland lowland heathland
(b) Restoration of forestry Restoration of forestry £311 per ha and woodland to and woodland to lowland heathland lowland heathland
(c) Creation of heathland Creation of lowland £711 per ha from arable or heathland from arable improved grassland or improved grassland
7. Soil and water
(a) 4m to 6m buffer strip Creation (where £515 per ha on cultivated land appropriate) and maintenance of 4m to 6m buffer strip on cultivated land
(b) 4m to 6m buffer strip Creation (where £235 per ha on intensive grassland appropriate) and maintenance of 4m to 6m buffer strip on intensive grassland
(c) In-field grass strips Creation (where £765 per ha appropriate) and maintenance of dense grassy areas on cultivated land
(d) 12m to 24m Creation (where £707 per ha watercourse buffer appropriate) and strip on cultivated land maintenance of 12m to 24m buffer strip on cultivated land
(e) Enhanced management Management of maize £203 per ha of maize crops and a cover crop to reduce the risk of soil erosion and run off 8Document Generated: 2024-04-08
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(f) Winter cover crops Provision of a cover £129 per ha crop to reduce nitrate leaching
(g) Arable reversion to Reversion of arable £489 per ha grassland with low land to grassland with fertiliser input low fertiliser input
(h) Management of Management of £311 per ha intensive grassland intensive grassland adjacent to a adjacent to a watercourse watercourse
(i) Seasonal livestock Seasonal removal £115 per ha removal on intensive of livestock from grassland intensive grassland adjacent to a watercourse
(j) Seasonal livestock Seasonal removal £115 per ha removal on grassland of livestock from in SDAs next to grassland adjacent to a streams, rivers and watercourse in SDAs lakes
(k) Riparian management Prevention of livestock £742 per ha strip access to a watercourse and provision of a buffer strip
(l) Making space for water Helping water flow £1,489 per ha in a winding course across flood plains, flooding temporarily to restore river and wetland habitats
(m) Very low nitrogen Reduction of nutrient £396 per ha inputs to groundwaters input to grassland
(n) Nil fertiliser Reduction of nutrient £156 per ha supplement inputs to zero
(o) Flood mitigation on Creation of temporary £740 per ha arable reversion to water storage to grassland mitigate flood risk on arable reversion to grassland
(p) Flood mitigation on Creation of temporary £330 per ha permanent grassland water storage to mitigate flood risk on permanent grassland 9Document Generated: 2024-04-08
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8. Uplands
(a) Enclosed rough Maintain and enhance £53 per ha grazing areas of enclosed rough grazing land within an upland farming system
(b) Management of rough Management of rough £121 per ha grazing for birds grazing habitat for birds
(c) Management of Management of £55 per ha moorland moorland
(d) Management of Management of £12 per ha moorland vegetation vegetation to restore supplement and improve Priority Habitats (1)
(e) Moorland re-wetting Maintenance and £181 per ha supplement restoration of vegetation mosaics and wetland habitats
(f) Upland livestock Management of upland £19 per ha exclusion supplement through livestock exclusion
(g) Management of wood Management of £212 per ha pasture and parkland existing upland wood pasture and parkland
(h) Restoration of wood Restoration of upland £371 per ha pasture and parkland wood pasture and parkland
(i) Creation of wood Creation of new upland £544 per ha pasture wood pasture
(1) “Priority Habitat” is defined in regulation 2(1) of S.I. 2020/41.
9. Woodland and scrub
(a) Woodland creation – Maintenance of newly £400 per ha maintenance payments created woodland
(b) Woodland Improvement of £127 per ha improvement existing woodland
(c) Woodland edges on Creation of new £428 per ha arable land woodland edge habitat
(d) Management of wood Management of £212 per ha pasture and parkland existing lowland wood pasture and parkland 10Document Generated: 2024-04-08
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(e) Restoration of wood Restoration of lowland £371 per ha pasture and parkland wood pasture and parkland
(f) Creation of wood Creation of new £544 per ha pasture lowland wood pasture
(g) Management of Management of £276 per ha successional areas and successional areas and scrub scrub
(h) Creation of Creation of £514 per ha successional areas and successional areas and scrub scrub
(i) Livestock exclusion Exclusion of livestock £121 per ha supplement – scrub and from scrub and successional areas successional areas
10. Wetlands
(a) Buffering in-field Creation and £311 per ha ponds and ditches in maintenance of buffer improved grassland strips for in-field ponds and ditches in improved grassland
(b) Buffering in-field Creation and £681 per ha ponds and ditches on maintenance of buffer arable land strips for in-field ponds and ditches on arable land
(c) Management of ditches Management of ditches £44 per 100 m for the of high environmental of high environmental management of both value value (both sides) sides of the ditch
(d) Pond management Management of small £424 per pond (area less than or equal ponds of high wildlife to 100 sq m) value
(e) Pond management Management of larger £424 per pond (area more than 100 sq ponds of high wildlife m) value
(f) Management of Management, £920 per ha reedbed maintenance and restoration of reedbed
(g) Creation of reedbed Creation of new areas £1,605 per ha of reedbed
(h) Management of fen Management of fen £920 per ha and small areas of reedbed 11Document Generated: 2024-04-08
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(i) Creation of fen Creation of new areas £1,605 per ha of fen
(j) Management of Management of £215 per ha lowland raised bog lowland raised bog
(k) Wetland cutting Cutting management £1,346 per ha supplement of wetland habitats
(l) Wetland grazing Grazing management £566 per ha supplement of wetland habitats
11. Organic
(a) Overwintered stubble Retaining overwinter £264 per ha stubble on organic land
(b) Wild bird seed mixture Establishing a mix of £787 per ha seed-bearing plants on organic land
(c) Supplementary feeding Spreading winter feed £935 per tonne for for farmland birds mixture for birds in every 2 ha of wild bird selected feeding areas seed mixture on organic land
(d) Multi-species ley Establishing and £117 per ha managing a multi- species ley on organic land
(e) Undersown cereal Establishing an autumn £380 per ha or spring sown cereal crop undersown with a grass/flower- rich legume ley
12. Organic conversion
(a) Organic conversion – Conversion of £187 per ha per year for improved permanent improved permanent up to 2 years grassland grassland to organic management
(b) Organic conversion – Conversion of £96 per ha per year for unimproved permanent unimproved permanent up to 2 years grassland grassland to organic management
(c) Organic conversion – Conversion of £298 per ha per year for rotational land rotational land to up to 2 years organic management
(d) Organic conversion – Conversion of £874 per ha per year for horticulture rotational land used to up to 2 years 12Document Generated: 2024-04-08
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(e) Organic conversion – Conversion of top £1,920 per ha per year top fruit fruit orchards or berry for up to 3 years bushes to organic management
13. Organic maintenance
(a) Organic land Maintaining improved £40 per ha management - permanent grassland improved permanent under organic grassland management
(b) Organic land Maintaining £41 per ha management - unimproved permanent unimproved permanent grassland under grassland organic management
(c) Organic land Maintaining rotational £132 per ha management - land under organic rotational land management
(d) Organic land Maintaining £707 per ha management – horticultural land horticulture under organic management
(e) Organic land Maintaining top fruit £1,920 per ha management - top fruit orchards or berry bushes under organic management
(f) Organic land Maintaining enclosed £97 per ha management - rough grazing land enclosed rough grazing under organic management
14. Additional supplements
(a) Difficult sites Management of £93 per ha supplement particularly difficult sites
(b) Raised water level Raising water levels £181 per ha supplement in ditches and adjacent land
(c) Bracken control Controlling dense £232 per ha supplement bracken
(1) “Priority Species” is defined in regulation 2(1) of S.I. 2020/41.
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(d) Control of invasive Controlling invasive £380 per ha plant species plant species supplement
(e) Shepherding Introducing, re- £10 per ha supplement introducing or making significant changes to shepherding
(f) Cattle grazing Cattle grazing for £59 per ha supplement conservation purposes
(g) Introduction of cattle Introduction of £279 per ha grazing on the Isles of conservation grazing Scilly on the Isles of Scilly on land that is not currently grazed by cattle
(h) Native breeds at risk Grazing native breeds £167 per ha supplement at risk
(i) Threatened species Additional habitat £204 per ha supplement management for named Priority Species
(1)
(j) Administration of Administering £7 per ha group managed agreements with agreements shared tenure supplement
(1) “Priority Species” is defined in regulation 2(1) of S.I. 2020/41.
15. Educational access
(a) Education access Permitting and making £363 per visit” provision for access to farm land for educational visits EXPLANATORY NOTE (This note is not part of the Regulations) These Regulations further amend the Countryside Stewardship (England) Regulations 2020 (“the 2020 Regulations”) (S.I. 2020/41) and are made pursuant to section 98 of the Environment Act 1995 (c. 25).
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Regulation 2 amends the maximum payment rates per agreement year for management activities carried out as part of a countryside stewardship agreement under regulation 3 of the 2020 Regulations.
These Regulations also make minor amendments to improve clarity.
A full impact assessment has not been produced for this instrument as no, or no significant, impact on the private, voluntary, or public sector is foreseen.
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