Chancellor Philip Hammond announced on August 13th that The Treasury would guarantee EU funding beyond the date the UK leaves the EU.
Natural England also said in response to the question ‘Will new Countryside Stewardship agri-environment and forestry agreements with a start date of 1 January 2017 miss out if an agreement has not been signed with Natural England before the Autumn Statement?’
A. No, any Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier or Mid-Tier agreements signed or with agreements in place before the Autumn Statement will be fully funded – even when these projects continue beyond the UK’s departure from the EU.
This means farmers and land managers should continue to apply for Countryside Stewardship Mid-Tier agreements by the 30 September deadline. Successful Higher Tier applicants will be able to continue to work up the final details of their agreement with Natural England and the Forestry Commission to allow for new agreements to start on 1 January 2017.
Farmers and land owners should continue for the moment to apply for Woodland Management Plan and Tree Health capital agreements.
