DEFRA puts competition into countryside stewardship

The government has launched a Countryside Stewardship Scheme aimed at boosting farming’s conservation status in England.

Under the scheme £900m of grant money will be made available over the next five years to encourage farmers to step up their conservation efforts.

Some £85m has been set aside for grants in 2016. Natural England, which will administer the scheme, is understood to be targeting 5,000 agreements by 1 January, when the scheme goes live.