The reduction in basic payment scheme (BPS) payments will start to bite this year. If you have not already looked into the CSS offering, now is the time to do so.
The CSS offers you incentives to help look after and improve the environment, with each local area having its own priorities. The main areas of the scheme being the higher tier, mid-tier and capital grants, although it does also cover, wildlife offers and woodland support grants. Each area offers a wide range of options that can run for multiple years, with most being for a five-year period.
The application window for 2022 agreements is now open. This includes the standalone, new capital grant scheme.
The capital grant scheme focuses on three groups of capital expenditure, trees and orchards, water quality, and air quality, with 67 items available to select from. The maximum grant per application is £60,000, with a cap of £20,000 for each group.
The application window closes on 30 April 2021 for both higher tier and capital grants, and 30 July 2021 for mid-tier applications. This allows some time to investigate the requirements and offerings and see if any of these schemes can benefit your business.
With the new environmental land management scheme (ELMs) eventually replacing the CSS, entering an agreement now will put you in the best position to benefit from the new agricultural policy once it is fully rolled out in 2024.
For further information on CSS please click here, contact Daniel Webb or your usual Hazlewoods contact.