DEFRA has come under attack for leaving Cumbria's lowland commoners out of their newest scheme.

Low input and unimproved grasslands - some of the county's most precious habitats for wildlife - are to be excluded from the Sustainable Farming Incentive 2022 under proposals announced by Defra last week.

This is despite Defra’s commitment that all BPS applicants would be able to apply including those in existing Stewardship Schemes, says the Foundation for Common Land.

Dr Julia Aglionby, Executive Director, and Armathwaite farmer, commented; “This is a broken promise by this Government. The Agricultural Transition Plan says; ‘Initially, all farmers currently in receipt of the Basic Payment Scheme will be eligible [for SFI], including those already in land management schemes such as Countryside Stewardship (CS).’ This is clearly not true if you farm unimproved grassland. Our concern is that these most special places will be at risk as farmers come under pressure due to declining incomes as BPS is phased out. Lowland Commons deliver so much for nature, climate, and people especially as shown during Covid; why would you disadvantage them?”

Farmers and commoners managing Cumbria's coastal marshes will be among those nationally who will be losing their farm payment over the next seven years, but unlike farmers on improved grassland arable land and moorland they will not have the opportunity through SFI22 to be rewarded for public goods not yet paid for by existing Stewardship Schemes.

When questioned about the gap in provision Defra responded that these farmers would be encouraged to enter CS which they say is better suited to these habitats than SFI22.