What is the Countryside Management Scheme worth to my farm?

Since 1 January 2005, Cross-Compliance has been a reality for all Northern Ireland farmers in receipt of Single Farm Payment.  Meeting the requirements of a number of existing European Laws, as well as maintaining the land in Good Agricultural and Environmental Condition, is essential.  However, farmers now have the opportunity to receive payment for not only maintaining but also actually enhancing the environment on their own farms by signing up to the Countryside Management Scheme(CMS).

Payments range from £20/ha to over £500/ha and are dependant on the existing habitats on the farm and the extent to which the farmer or landowner wishes to avail of the options through the Scheme. Most farms within Northern Ireland, regardless of location, will have at least some land which is perhaps less productive or even less accessible to larger machinery. These small areas around the farm could be used for environmental options such as tree planting/grass margins or even bird feeding sites called wild bird cover. These areas, if managed correctly, are important for our farmland birds and other farm wildlife such as the Irish Hare.

Other options available through the CMS include hedge restoration. Payments of up to £10 per metre are available for undertaking hedge work on your farm over a five year period. Hedge restoration may include planting a new hedge, coppicing and interplanting or laying an existing hedge.

Although every farm annual payment is different, the table shows an example for a 40 ha lowland mixed livestock and arable farm, which could receive an annual payment of £3,182.

	Payment/ha**	Area on farm	Payment on farm	Compulsory/Optional
Whole farm payment for: field boundary management and farm waste management	£20	40 ha	£800	Compulsory
Existing farm scrub	£85	0.2 ha	£17	Compulsory
Ungrazed grass margin	£420	0.5 ha	£210	Optional
Native tree planting	£1100	0.2 ha	£220	Optional
Retention of winter stubble	£85	5 ha	£425	Optional
Wild bird cover	£510	1 ha	£510	Optional
Hedge restoration	£10/m	100 m/year	£1000	Optional
Payment Total / Year			£3182

**All payment rates are subject to EU approval

Other payments are available for fencing habitat land on the farm as well as additional money for enhancement items such as traditional gatesand restoring old farm buildings. The Countryside Management Scheme is open forapplications from Monday 14 February to Friday 11 March 2005. Further advice and application forms are available through local agricultural offices or by attending any of the Countryside Management Branch meetings being held across Northern Ireland with details in the farming and local press.