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A guide for tenant farmers on navigating Countryside Stewardship, covering available options, eligibility criteria, necessary landlord permissions, and practical advice for making the most of the scheme while addressing the unique challenges they face.
Countryside stewardship (CS) offers tenant farmers across England a range of opportunities to enhance biodiversity, improve soil health, and build resilience on their land. With updates introduced in 2024 and 2025, the scheme now provides even greater support, flexibility, and funding tailored to tenant farmers. This guide unpacks how to navigate CS, the options available, and practical advice for making the most of this vital initiative.
For tenant farmers, navigating grants and schemes can often feel like untangling a ball of twine in the rain. Countryside stewardship aims to change that. It supports farmers and land managers in England with practical funding to deliver environmental benefits while keeping their farms productive. Whether it’s planting hedgerows, managing water flow, or creating habitats for wildlife, CS provides targeted resources to help tenant farmers tackle key challenges and build a sustainable future.
This year, new updates bring even more flexibility to the table, ensuring tenant farmers—no matter their land size or lease length—can access the benefits without facing unnecessary roadblocks.
Tenant farmers often find themselves juggling responsibilities, from day-to-day farm management to navigating the intricacies of tenancy agreements. Countryside stewardship is designed to work within these realities, offering tailored opportunities that align with the environmental and economic goals of farmers and their landlords.
Imagine it like fixing a leaky barn roof: you need the right tools, a good plan, and sometimes a bit of neighbourly support. Mid-tier stewardship agreements remain a strong choice for many. These support activities like creating pollinator-friendly habitats, planting buffer strips to reduce soil erosion, and improving water quality. These grants can provide payments of up to £3,000 for hedgerow creation and £1,200 per hectare for buffer strips.
For farmers managing land with significant environmental value, higher-tier agreements open the door to large-scale restoration projects, including moorland regeneration and collaborative initiatives with neighbours. Payments under higher-tier agreements can reach up to £8,000 per hectare for certain habitat restorations.
The recent updates to capital grants bring exciting opportunities, especially for agroforestry projects and natural flood management. For example, tenant farmers can now access funding of up to £6,800 per hectare for tree planting, plus additional support for water systems and biodiversity-friendly planting. These grants ease the burden of upfront costs while delivering long-term benefits.
Applying for countryside stewardship can seem daunting, but the process is more straightforward than you might think. Think of it as planting a crop: start with good preparation, follow a clear plan, and reap the benefits over time. Here’s how it works:
Start by assessing your land. Walk your fields and identify areas that could benefit from stewardship actions—a hedgerow needing attention, an eroded streambank, or unused corners that could become wildlife havens. These are the spots where nature and productivity can meet harmoniously.
Next, open the conversation with your landlord. Whether it’s over tea or a friendly chat in the field, share your vision. Explain the mutual benefits, like enhanced land value and reduced maintenance. Many projects, such as tree planting or habitat creation, will require their approval, so keeping them in the loop early on can save headaches later.
Once you have their backing, register your farm with the Rural Payments service if you haven’t already. This ensures your land is mapped and ready for grant applications. Then, dive into the planning stage. What do you want to achieve? DEFRA’s advisory services are there to guide you, or you can use AskGrant’s GrantBudgeter to map out costs and funding opportunities. The goal is to create a solid application that ticks all the right boxes.
Submitting your application is the easy part these days. The streamlined platform now combines mid-tier and SFI grants into one process. It’s straightforward, user-friendly, and designed to save time. Once submitted, be prepared for follow-ups—keep your records tidy, whether they’re maps, photos, or financial plans. The smoother this step goes, the sooner you can get started on your projects.
While grants cover much of the cost, some upfront expenses may still come into play. This is where good planning makes all the difference. DEFRA offers advisory services to help farmers create a robust financial strategy. Alternatively, you can turn to AskGrant’s GrantBudgeter, a tool designed to simplify cost planning and maximise funding potential. Think of it as your satnav for navigating the financial maze of stewardship.
The countryside stewardship scheme isn’t just about meeting environmental targets; it’s about building partnerships—between farmers and their land, between tenants and landlords, and between agricultural productivity and nature recovery. These grants are an investment in the future of farming, ensuring the land you steward today will thrive for generations to come.
And if the process still feels overwhelming, AskGrant is here to help. From guiding you through eligibility to crafting a winning application, our tools and experts take the stress out of securing funding. Ready to make the most of your land’s potential? Sign up today and let AskGrant guide you every step of the way.
A guide for tenant farmers on navigating Countryside Stewardship, covering available options, eligibility criteria, necessary landlord permissions, and practical advice for making the most of the scheme while addressing the unique challenges they face.
Countryside stewardship (CS) offers tenant farmers across England a range of opportunities to enhance biodiversity, improve soil health, and build resilience on their land. With updates introduced in 2024 and 2025, the scheme now provides even greater support, flexibility, and funding tailored to tenant farmers. This guide unpacks how to navigate CS, the options available, and practical advice for making the most of this vital initiative.
For tenant farmers, navigating grants and schemes can often feel like untangling a ball of twine in the rain. Countryside stewardship aims to change that. It supports farmers and land managers in England with practical funding to deliver environmental benefits while keeping their farms productive. Whether it’s planting hedgerows, managing water flow, or creating habitats for wildlife, CS provides targeted resources to help tenant farmers tackle key challenges and build a sustainable future.
This year, new updates bring even more flexibility to the table, ensuring tenant farmers—no matter their land size or lease length—can access the benefits without facing unnecessary roadblocks.
Tenant farmers often find themselves juggling responsibilities, from day-to-day farm management to navigating the intricacies of tenancy agreements. Countryside stewardship is designed to work within these realities, offering tailored opportunities that align with the environmental and economic goals of farmers and their landlords.
Imagine it like fixing a leaky barn roof: you need the right tools, a good plan, and sometimes a bit of neighbourly support. Mid-tier stewardship agreements remain a strong choice for many. These support activities like creating pollinator-friendly habitats, planting buffer strips to reduce soil erosion, and improving water quality. These grants can provide payments of up to £3,000 for hedgerow creation and £1,200 per hectare for buffer strips.
For farmers managing land with significant environmental value, higher-tier agreements open the door to large-scale restoration projects, including moorland regeneration and collaborative initiatives with neighbours. Payments under higher-tier agreements can reach up to £8,000 per hectare for certain habitat restorations.
The recent updates to capital grants bring exciting opportunities, especially for agroforestry projects and natural flood management. For example, tenant farmers can now access funding of up to £6,800 per hectare for tree planting, plus additional support for water systems and biodiversity-friendly planting. These grants ease the burden of upfront costs while delivering long-term benefits.
Applying for countryside stewardship can seem daunting, but the process is more straightforward than you might think. Think of it as planting a crop: start with good preparation, follow a clear plan, and reap the benefits over time. Here’s how it works:
Start by assessing your land. Walk your fields and identify areas that could benefit from stewardship actions—a hedgerow needing attention, an eroded streambank, or unused corners that could become wildlife havens. These are the spots where nature and productivity can meet harmoniously.
Next, open the conversation with your landlord. Whether it’s over tea or a friendly chat in the field, share your vision. Explain the mutual benefits, like enhanced land value and reduced maintenance. Many projects, such as tree planting or habitat creation, will require their approval, so keeping them in the loop early on can save headaches later.
Once you have their backing, register your farm with the Rural Payments service if you haven’t already. This ensures your land is mapped and ready for grant applications. Then, dive into the planning stage. What do you want to achieve? DEFRA’s advisory services are there to guide you, or you can use AskGrant’s GrantBudgeter to map out costs and funding opportunities. The goal is to create a solid application that ticks all the right boxes.
Submitting your application is the easy part these days. The streamlined platform now combines mid-tier and SFI grants into one process. It’s straightforward, user-friendly, and designed to save time. Once submitted, be prepared for follow-ups—keep your records tidy, whether they’re maps, photos, or financial plans. The smoother this step goes, the sooner you can get started on your projects.
While grants cover much of the cost, some upfront expenses may still come into play. This is where good planning makes all the difference. DEFRA offers advisory services to help farmers create a robust financial strategy. Alternatively, you can turn to AskGrant’s GrantBudgeter, a tool designed to simplify cost planning and maximise funding potential. Think of it as your satnav for navigating the financial maze of stewardship.
The countryside stewardship scheme isn’t just about meeting environmental targets; it’s about building partnerships—between farmers and their land, between tenants and landlords, and between agricultural productivity and nature recovery. These grants are an investment in the future of farming, ensuring the land you steward today will thrive for generations to come.
And if the process still feels overwhelming, AskGrant is here to help. From guiding you through eligibility to crafting a winning application, our tools and experts take the stress out of securing funding. Ready to make the most of your land’s potential? Sign up today and let AskGrant guide you every step of the way.
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