Payments and Grants

ED1 payments are available to Higher Tier and Mid-Tier Countryside Stewardship claimants BUT not as a standalone item. It can only be applied for with other Mid Tier (including Wildlife Offers) and Higher Tier options, an agreement cannot be for ED1 only. 

ED1 is NOT available as part of a Mid-Tier Wildlife Offer.    

The Wildlife Offers are:  

• Arable Offer 
• Lowland Grazing Offer 
• Mixed Farming Offer 
• Upland Offer 

• Tour of farm / activities must last at least 2 hours  
• Tour of farm / activities must involve farm staff  
• Visit should help make links between farming, conservation and food production using the land as a classroom 
• Hosts must complete a Farm visit evaluation form for each visit claimed. 

To achieve the aims and deliver the environmental benefits, do not carry out any of the following activities: 

• the children cannot be older than 18. There is no age limit on care farming 
• charge for visits 
• receive any other direct income relating to the educational visit 
• youth clubs, toddler groups and extra-curricular events are not eligible visitors 
• respite care and those set to work on tasks are not eligible visitors 
• as there is no maximum party size, only one group on the holding at a time is eligible to be claimed 
• You cannot claim for more than 25 visiting groups in any agreement year. 
• On your annual claim you will be asked to declare that you have not carried out any prohibited activities. 

• £309 per visit – up to 25 visits per year 
• It is possible to deliver more visits or to deliver visits to parties that would otherwise not be eligible and to charge these visitors if you wish. You cannot claim these visits through Countryside Stewardship. 
• Farmers do not have to deliver the number of visits they apply for, we suggest they apply for the maximum amount. 

Money for CEVAS or similar training is currently also available to Higher Tier applicants, the plan is to extend this to Mid-Tier claimants too AC2: Countryside educational access visits accreditation - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)   

Grants for capital items associated with educational access have also been available for past schemes and continue to be available in CS (Countryside Stewardship) for example, hand washing facilities, toilets, and classrooms as well as educational materials and other projects.  Defra is looking into the possibility of bringing these payments into Mid-Tier.   

Guidance for the CS options is available from gov.uk  

ED1: Educational access - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)  

AC2: Countryside educational access visits accreditation - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)  

AC1: Access capital items - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) 

Funding is also available for educational access as part of the new Farming in Protected Landscapes programme. The Farming in Protected Landscapes programme is open to all farmers and land managers within an AONB or National Park in England, or the Broads. Other organisations and individuals can apply when collaborating with a farmer or land manager, or in support of a farmer or group of farmers. Country Trust is applying in partnership with several farms in protected landscapes.  

ELMs was designed to replace all current payment schemes. It comprises 3 schemes that reward environmental land management: 

• Sustainable Farming Incentive 
• Local Nature Recovery 
• Landscape Recovery 

These schemes are intended to support the rural economy while achieving the goals of the 25 Year Environment Plan and a commitment to net zero emissions by 2050. 

Through these schemes, farmers and other land managers may enter into agreements to be paid for delivering the following: 

• clean and plentiful water 
• clean air 
• thriving plants and wildlife 
• protection from environmental hazards 
• reduction of and adaptation to climate change 
• beauty, heritage and engagement with the environment