Applications for Organic Entry Level Stewardship (OELS) agreements have reached the landmark 1,000 mark, including 86 which underpin Higher Level Stewardship applications. Of the 74,244 hectares of land currently entered into OELS, 30% or 22,539 hectares are currently undergoing conversion, which represents a welcome addition to the area of land which is being managed organically in England.

OELS was launched in March 2005 with the twin aims of: encouraging a large number of organic farmers and land managers across a wide area of land to deliver simple yet effective environmental management on their organic units; and encouraging the expansion of the organic sector in England in order to help meet the increasing demand for organically produced food. In order to do this, OELS offers top up payments to convert conventionally managed established top fruit orchards and improved land to organic production in addition to the schemes #60 per hectare payment rate. OELS can be combined with Higher Level Stewardship (HLS) options to deliver significant environmental benefits in high priority situations and areas.

Phil Stocker from the Soil Association commented: 'It is a great achievement to cross the boundary of 1000 OELS applications. These farmers include a blend of newly converting farmers taking up the conversion option, and longstanding organic farmers who are finally getting a reward for the environmental benefits of organic farming. OELS is proving to be an effective mainstream mechanism for incentivising and rewarding organic farming.'

Paul and Diana Redgate, of Willey Wood Farm near Moorgreen in Nottinghamshire, have a combined OELS and HLS agreement. Paul Redgate said: "We began our conversion to organic production in 1999 through a five year Organic Farming Scheme (OFS) and we rear pedigree sheep and cattle. With the OFS due to finish, we applied to join Organic Entry Level and Higher Level Stewardship because, with the changes to the Common Agricultural Policy, we saw that there was an opportunity to be rewarded for managing the farm in a more environmentally-friendly way while still maintaining our organic production.

"The main OELS options we are pursuing are hedgerow maintenance. We are using these and the Higher Level Stewardship options to benefit wildlife on the farm. We will be putting in grass margins to provide good hunting grounds for barn owls. We will also restore hedgerows and plant two new small woodlands. By raising water levels on some of our permanent pasture we will create important habitat for a range of wading birds.

"Meeting the terms of our agreement will require some effort on our part - but the payments we will receive will make this financially worthwhile and the increase we hope to see in the wildlife on the farm will be equally as rewarding."

BACKGROUND

1. The Environmental Stewardship (ES) scheme was launched on 3 March 2005. It is composed of three tiers:
Entry Level Stewardship (ELS), a whole farm scheme which aims to encourage farmers and land managers across England to deliver simple but effective environmental management; Organic Entry Level Stewardship (OELS) which is open to farmers who manage all or part of their land organically, or wish to convert to organic farming providing the land is not already in the OAS or OFS; and Higher Level Stewardship (HLS) which, when combined with ELS or OELS options, aims to deliver significant environmental benefits in high priority areas.

2. ES builds on the very best practice already evident in British farming. In particular, it takes forward Defra's two flagship agri-environment schemes, Environmentally Sensitive Areas and Countryside Stewardship. The primary objectives of ES are to:
- Conserve wildlife (biodiversity)
- Maintain and enhance landscape quality and character Protect the historic environment and natural resources - Promote public access and understanding of the countryside Natural resource protection.

3. ES is one of the Schemes which operate under the England Rural Development Programme (ERDP). The scheme replaced the Countryside Stewardship, Environmentally Sensitive Areas and Organic Farming Schemes, which are now closed to new applicants.

4. Further information concerning ES and the other schemes within the England Rural Development Programme are available from your local Rural Development Service office (see http://defra.gov.uk/erdp/regions/default.htm  for contact details) or the Defra website at http://www.defra.gov.uk

6. As part of Rural Strategy 2004, Defra has reviewed its funding streams for rural areas. The Department is committed to reducing the current range of schemes and programmes to a framework based around three major funds targeted to the three Departmental strategic priorities impacting on rural areas: environmental land management and natural resource protection; sustainable rural communities; and sustainable food and farming. This approach aims to achieve greater simplicity for customers and to improve value for money; it is being implemented progressively, with the final stage to be completed with the roll out of the next rural development programme (2007-2013).
Further details of the funding streams review can be found at:
http://www.defra.gov.uk/rural/ruraldelivery/funding/default.htm

7. Following publication of the draft Natural Environment and Rural Communities Bill in February, English Nature, the Rural Development Service and the Countryside Agency's Landscape, Access and Recreation division are working towards integration as a single body: Natural England. It will work for people, places and nature with responsibility for enhancing biodiversity, landscapes and wildlife in rural, urban, coastal and marine areas; promoting access, recreation and public wellbeing, and contributing to the way natural resources are managed - so they can be enjoyed now and for future generations.

English Nature is the independent Government agency that champions the conservation of wildlife and geology throughout England.
The Rural Development Service is the largest deliverer of the England Rural Development Programme and a range of advisory and regulatory rural services. With the administration of a multi-million pound grant budget for schemes which support land management, rural businesses and rural communities, the Rural Development Service is the single largest organisation working for the benefit of rural areas in England.
The Countryside Agency's Landscape, Access and Recreation Division aims to help everyone respect, protect and enjoy the countryside - protecting natural landscapes; and encouraging access to, enjoyment of and sustainable management and use of the countryside.