Farmers warned not to miss out on valuable hedgerow funding

Farmers with rundown hedgerows and stone-wall boundaries can get substantial government maintenance grants.

The application window for the 2019 Countryside Stewardship Hedgerows and Boundaries Grant Scheme closes on 3 May.

See also: Countryside stewardship tips for 2019 scheme

Covering costs

Strutt & Parker farm consultant Ryan Lindley said the scheme covered a significant proportion of costs after funding was increased in 2018 and urged farmers not to miss out.

“The big change in 2018 was that landowners could apply for a maximum grant of £10,000, when in previous years the limit had been £5,000.

“This higher limit has been continued in 2019,” Mr Lindley said.

Payment rates

The funding means payment rates are £9.40/m for hedgerow laying, £9.50/m for filling in gaps and £25/m for stone wall restoration.

However, Mr Lindley explained that the scheme only covered hedges and stone wall restoration.

Farmers wanting to establish new hedgerows or boundaries, including fencing options, should apply for mid- or higher-tier Countryside Stewardship Scheme funding, he advised.

The application window for mid-tier and higher-tier Countryside Stewardship applications is also open and funding for new hedges is set at £11.60/m.

The deadline for landowners to request an application pack for the mid-tier scheme is 31 May 2019, with a final application deadline of 31 July 2019.