Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier: new opportunities for land managers
Learn how the latest CSHT changes could help your farm or rural business access Higher Tier or extend existing agreements
For farmers and land managers who are currently involved in Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier (CSHT) or are considering entering into an agreement, there have been two significant developments in recent months that are relevant to you.
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has opened CSHT for expressions of interest, and the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) is offering extensions for 10-year CSHT agreements ending in 2031.
CSHT opens to expressions of interest
Previously, access to CSHT was invite-only. However, as of 21 July, certain actions and ‘topics’ under CSHT have been opened for expressions of interest (EOI).
Land managers can now submit EOIs for ‘single-focus’ agreements covering CSHT actions on species-rich grassland and scheduled monument management. Defra has made 1,200 single-focus agreements available and expect to introduce further single-focus agreements later this year. These are anticipated to include single-focus agreements for managing and creating traditional orchards, and managing wet grassland for wintering waders and wildfowl.
CSHT actions that are eligible for single-focus EOIs include:
- CGS22: Manage priority habitat species-rich grassland (with related actions and supplements)
- CHS2: Take historic and archaeological features out of cultivation
- CHS3: Reduce cultivation depths on historic and archaeological features
- CHS4: Control scrub on historic and archaeological features
- CHS5: Manage historic and archaeological features on grassland
- CHS9: Restrict crop establishment depth on historic and archaeological features
EOIs are also available for agroforestry or woodland improvement. Land managers submitting an EOI for agroforestry should have an agreed agroforestry plan and have already planted the trees outlined in the plan. Land managers expressing interest in woodlands will require an approved woodland management plan and species management plans.
While submitting an EOI does not guarantee the offer of a full CSHT agreement, submitting your interest is the first step in the process. For EOIs for species species-rich grassland, next steps may include a site visit by Natural England, and those for scheduled monument management may require a visit by Historic England. Land managers can submit an EOI for multiple sites and actions, however, only one full CSHT application can be progressed for each Single Business Identifier (SBI).
This marks an important step towards making Higher Tier more accessible and provides a pathway for farmers and land managers who may not otherwise have been invited into the scheme
While the change is welcome, access remains limited and the CLA continues to encourage Defra to expand access and improve the transparency of the scheme.
Extensions for 10-year CSHT agreements ending in 2031
As promised in an earlier blog, the RPA has begun offering 5-year extensions to 10-year Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier (CSHT) agreements that are ending on 31 December 2031. The extension offer is intended to provide continuity and stability for agreement holders while Defra and the RPA continue to develop future environmental land management opportunities, including wider access to CSHT and Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) schemes.
Eligible 10-year agreements must expire on 31 December 2031 and have 5-year options or supplements expiring on 31 December 2026. Options and supplements that have a duration of less than 5 years cannot be extended, nor can the option WD2 Woodland Improvement.
Agreement holders that are eligible will be issued an email or letter offering an extension and describing next steps. The offer will not be visible on the RPA portal. Those who receive an extension offer will then have until 16 October 2026 to contact the RPA and request an extension.
If you are a CSHT agreement holder, it’s important make sure that your email address and postal address are up to date with the Rural Payments Agency to make sure you receive extension offers when eligible. If you think you are eligible but haven’t received an extension offer, you should contact the RPA.
Taken together, these changes represent gradual progress towards a more flexible and accessible Higher Tier offer. For some land managers, the new EOI routes may provide an opportunity to enter CSHT for the first time. For others, agreement extensions may help bridge the gap until future funding opportunities become available.
The CLA will continue engaging with Defra and the RPA to ensure that future developments provide greater certainty, transparency and access for farmers, foresters and land managers seeking to deliver environmental outcomes through ELM schemes.
