Dorset farmers to be paid to protect habitats
Farmers across Dorset are to be paid hundreds per hectare for maintaining habitats and protect the environment
Dorset farmers are set to benefit from what is been dubbed by politicians as “the biggest farming scheme upgrade since leaving the EU.”
Farmers carrying out work to protect nature will be offered higher payments, with the amount for maintaining grasslands, wetlands and scrub rising from £182 per hectare to £646.
The Government has been under pressure to announce its agricultural support schemes since the UK left the EU.
Blandford farmer, George Hosford said: “To give the government credit. they've taken their time, but it seems to be a good idea.
“There are so many farmers who want to do the environmentally right thing, but you have to remain in business because being environmentally friendly means you've got to give up land that you could otherwise use to produce food on.”
Ministers are hoping to have 60% of the food eaten in the UK produced here, while also meeting a commitment to restore at least 30% of the UK's natural environment by 2030.
Local conservation groups have welcomed the payments for protecting habitats but said much more needs to be done to hit the 2030 target.
Mr Hosford was “pleased” with the announcement but says some dangers may arise: “It's going to be difficult for them to find the right balance…
“We may find that they’ve funded the environmental side too well and too many people will give up producing food because it makes more financial sense to maintain habitats.”
He told us the previous payment of £182 per hectare was “nowhere near enough” to cover his rent, staff wages, machinery as well as make profit.
“It’s good to see that DEFRA have seen the error of their ways and making the decision to fund it properly again,” Mr Hosford said, “Now, there’s less risk of me and other farmer’s saying “stuff this” and go back back to producing food on that land.”
The Environment Secretary, Steve Barclay noted: “We have listened to farmers' feedback and set out the biggest upgrades to our farming schemes since leaving the EU, with more money, more choice and more trust to support domestic food production whilst also protecting the environment.”
Applications to receive support will be open from the summer of 2024 and are designed to promote British producers while encouraging them to protect nature.