Countryside Stewardship Extended: What It Means for Our Farming Clients

We’re pleased to share an important update from the Government that will directly affect many of our rural clients. On 15 October 2025, DEFRA announced that the Countryside Stewardship Mid Tier agreements will be extended by one year to help farmers continue their environmental work and provide stability as schemes evolve. GOV.UK

Below is what you need to know — and how we at Shoulers can help you navigate the extension.

What’s Changing

• Agreements that were due to expire on 31 December 2025 will be extended for one additional year. GOV.UK

• The government has committed up to £70 million in funding to support over 5,000 farmers with this extension. GOV.UK

• At present, England has over 77,000 live agri-environment agreements, covering about 4.3 million hectares of farmland — the largest such coverage in history. GOV.UK

• Meanwhile, funding for the broader Environmental Land Management (ELM) schemes, of which Countryside Stewardship is one component, is set to increase to £2 billion by 2029. GOV.UK

• The Rural Payments Agency (RPA) will send letters to eligible farmers with details on how to accept the extension and relevant deadlines. GOV.UK

In short: if you currently hold a Mid Tier environmental agreement, you'll have the opportunity to continue under the same scheme for another year. That provides breathing space while the next generation of schemes is planned.

Why This Matters for Shoulers’ Clients

This extension is more than administrative — it has direct implications for your planning, investment, and land management decisions. Here are a few key considerations:

1. Cashflow & Commitment
   Knowing that your stewardship payments can continue for another year helps smooth income expectations. This is especially useful if you were facing a funding gap or planning transition to a new scheme.

2. Continuity of Environmental Work
   Many clients have already planted wildflower margins, improved hedgerows, or adopted other habitat enhancements under current agreements. The extension ensures these efforts don’t lose momentum.

3. Time to Plan for ELM / Future Schemes
   The government is reviewing the Sustainable Farming Incentive and other programmes under the ELM umbrella. GOV.UK The extra year gives farmers time to adapt, consult, and strategise the best route forward.

4. Administration & Acceptance
   You will need to respond to the RPA letter within the specified deadlines to accept the extension. Missed deadlines could lead to loss of eligibility.

5. Scheme Terms Remain Stable (For Now)
   The extension is a straightforward one-year carry-forward under existing terms. There’s no immediate shift in rules or obligations (beyond what your existing agreement already stipulates).

What You Should Do Now

To make the most of this opportunity, here are some recommended steps:

• Look out for the email or letter from the RPA — read it promptly and note the deadlines.

• Contact us (Shoulers) if you’d like help interpreting the terms, filling forms, or making the acceptance.

• Review your current agreement: map which environmental works are due, which ones you might accelerate or delay, and what you’d like to undertake in that extra year.

• Plan for transition: begin exploring likely changes under future schemes (e.g. Sustainable Farming Incentive) so you’re not caught off guard when your extended agreement ends.

• Keep records / evidence of environmental works, maintenance, planting, etc., so that inspections or audits under extended schemes have full support.

A Note From Us at Shoulers

We welcome this extension as a positive signal from the Government: a recognition that farmers are essential stewards of both productivity and nature. At Shoulers, we are ready to support you — whether that means helping with acceptance paperwork, adjusting land-use plans, or preparing your business for the next generation of environmental schemes.

If you’d like to discuss how this affects your land, projects, or finances, please reach out to us. We’re here to help you make it work.

The Rural Team