RPA Announces Countryside Stewardship Upland Payment Rates

This entry was posted on Monday, June 12th, 2023 at 4:26 pm

DEFRA  have reviewed and increased payment rates for revenue options under environmental land management schemes in the uplands, aligning payment rates with similar management options under lowland schemes. The new rates will apply to agreements starting on or after 1^st January 2023.

Some of the revised payment rates can be found below:

GS5 – Low input grassland in SDA areas – increased from £98/ha to £151/ha
SW10 – SDA Seasonal stock removal – increased from £77/ha to £115/ha
WD11 – Upland restoration of wood pasture and parkland – increased from £316/ha to £371/ha
WD12 – Creation of upland wood pasture – increased from £333/ha – £544/ha

DEFRA are also reviewing various other options to make them more accessible to upland farmers, with more information to follow. Some of the options being reviewed are GS9 – Management of wet grassland for breeding waders, GS12 – Creation of wet grassland for wintering waders and wildfowl and GS15 Haymaking supplement.

Hopefully, the increased payment rates will make these schemes more attractive to those managing upland farms and provide additional financial support to these faming businesses.

There is still time to apply for Countryside Stewardship through Mid -Tier, Wildlife Offers and capital grants for stonewall restoration or hedgerow restoration and creation and fencing amongst other things.

Please contact StephensonsRural – 01904 489731 or BoultonCooper – 01653 692151 for more information.