Farmers have been offered more money to help protect nature - but industry leaders warned it could be "too little too late" for struggling East Anglian businesses.
Defra farming minister Mark Spencer has announced increased payments for farmers and landowners through both the Countryside Stewardship and the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) schemes, which reward work to improve biodiversity and habitats.
They are aimed at providing "more support to the industry and to drive uptake at a time of rising costs for farmers as a result of global challenges".
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Farmers could receive up to a further £1,000 per year for taking nature-friendly action through the SFI, one of the new Environmental Land Management (ELM) payment schemes being introduced as the EU's land-based subsidies are phased out after Brexit.
This new "management payment" will be made for the first 50 hectares of participating farms (at £20 per hectare), to cover the administrative costs and to attract smaller businesses - including many tenant farmers - who are currently under-represented in the scheme.
The SFI is already paying farmers to improve soil and moorlands, says Defra, and an expanded set of standards for 2023 "will be published shortly".
In addition, farmers with Countryside Stewardship (CS) agreements will see an average increase of 10pc to their payment rates – covering activities such as habitat creation, hedgerow management and providing winter food sources for birds.
But industry leaders said the long-awaited announcement still lacked the long-term clarity that farmers need to plan their business strategies.
Zoe Leach, East Anglia regional director for the National Farmers' Union (NFU), said some of the latest changes are welcome, but added: "They risk being too little too late for many farm businesses in East Anglia, especially given the current economic challenges we are experiencing and the rapid erosion of direct payments.
"Our farmers and growers are making crucial long-term decisions that are essential to running viable and profitable food producing businesses without the vital clarity needed on ELM schemes and available options.
"It is a sad reflection of the progress made to date that NFU members know more about what they will lose in direct payments than what they will gain from taking part in these new schemes.
"The NFU remains committed to working with Defra to improve its ELM offer. It’s in everyone’s interest we ensure sustainable, climate-friendly British farming in the future, with farmers doing what they do best - producing food alongside protecting and maintaining our environment."
Defra says the increased payments "recognise the challenges of rising input costs and other pressures which are being felt across the sector".
The department is also updating capital payment rates, which cover one-off projects such as hedgerow creation, with an average increase of 48%.
It says the combined impact of these changes will help more farmers to take "individual positive actions such as creating hedgerows and flower-rich grass areas on the edge of fields, and will support farmers and landowners in making space for nature alongside sustainable food production".
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While announcing the changes at the Oxford Farming Conference, Mr Spencer said: "My challenge to our great industry is simple - this year, take another look at the Environmental Land Management schemes and think about what options and grants will help support your farm.
"As custodians of more than 70% of our countryside, the nation is relying on its farmers to protect our landscapes as well as produce the high-quality food we are known for, and we are increasing payment rates to ensure farmers are not out of pocket for doing the right thing by the environment.
"By increasing the investment in these schemes, I want farmers to see this stacks up for business – whatever the size of your holding."
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