YEARS of valuable conservation work could be put at risk as many farmers reaching the end of agri-environment schemes are unable to start new agreements, according to three leading farming organisations.

A backlog of farmers awaiting payments for environmental work, some up to nine months, is also unacceptable they claim.

The National Farmers Union, CLA (Country Land and Business Association) and TFA (Tenant Farmers Association) are calling on the Government to make Countryside Stewardship fit for purpose and enable farmers to continue their good environmental delivery.

NFU deputy president Guy Smith said: “As recently as 2014 we had over 70 per cent of farmland involved in environmental work through entry and higher level stewardship schemes.

“The vast majority of farmers wanted to continue doing it when their current arrangements ended. Huge investment has gone into achieving environmental gains on farmland. But farmers are telling us as their agreements end that they don’t see the current scheme as a realistic option – the risks of falling foul of the rules is too high and Natural England are struggling to convert sufficient expiring HLS agreements into Higher Tier Countryside Stewardship.

He called on the Government to seriously consider alternative approaches to securing continued delivery of agri-environmental schemes, including the continuation of entry and higher level stewardship agreements.

Meanwhile, Tim Breitmeyer, CLA president, said: “As farmers and landowners, we are rightly proud of the environmental delivery we have achieved through agri-environment schemes.

“I know just how passionate our members are about nurturing and enhancing our countryside. But it is critical that the Government fulfils its contractual obligation of timely payment.”

TFA chief executive George Dunn added: “It is madness to be sacrificing good environmental management as a result of poor administration. Urgent, practical solutions need to be found to allow Natural England the breathing space it needs to deal with its current workload whilst it develops new, well-designed and well- run schemes for the post-
Brexit era.”