Defra offer on educational farm access ‘not credible’

Defra has been urged to extend its offer to farmers for educational access visits, with the present deal branded “not credible”.

Payments for farmers in Mid or Higher Tier Countryside Stewardship (CS) have been increased over the past two years to £318 a visit, but the number of visits allowed has been capped at 25 since 2015.

For those on Higher Level Stewardship (HLS) agreements, some of which have just been extended for five years, only £109 per visit is available.

See more: Farmer Focus: Educational visits help young people get a taste for farming

Julia Aglionby, who is a trustee of Susan’s Farm, an educational care farm, suggested the move to a “public money for public goods” approach should lead to a rethink on the visit cap.

“If you look at goal 10 of the Environmental Improvement Plan, which is about beauty, access and engagement with nature, this absolutely fits with that,” she said.

“There are lots of farmers who could do several hundred visits a year. If a farm has the capacity to deliver more public goods, why do you not pay them to deliver more public goods?”

Dr Aglionby also said the money on offer was “not worth it” for farmers who would need to invest in infrastructure such as handwashing facilities and toilets to host 25 visits a year.

Capital payments for such facilities are presently only available under the Higher Tier of CS.

“The government does not really have a credible offer here,” Dr Aglionby said.  

Nina Bell, a policy advisor at education charity the Country Trust, told Farmers Weekly the payments needed to be included in the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI).

“The SFI is the scheme the government wants all farmers to be part of and we would like all farmers to have the opportunity to host a visit,” she said.

“Obviously there would have to be standards and quality control, but as it stands, payments have to be linked to an environmental package and we think connecting the next generation with food and farming is a public good [in its own right].

“We need to build those bridges, connect farmers with consumers and educate children about where food comes from so they make choices which support British farmers.

“For the government, it is a small cost for potentially a big difference.”

A Defra spokesman said: “We are committed to supporting farmers and landowners across the country in providing educational access, offering opportunities for people to visit farms and enhance their understanding of the industry.

“We also have plans to expand educational access beyond these groups.”