Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department plans to take to support farmers with Countryside Stewardship Mid-Tier and Higher Tier agreements expiring in December 2026 who have not secured a Sustainable Farming Incentive 2026 agreement.

Natural England are contacting Higher Level Stewardship agreement holders whose agreements expire before 31 March 2027 and who may wish to apply for a Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier (CSHT) agreement. Farmers with a Mid-Tier agreement expiring in December 2026 can express an interest in certain types of CSHT agreements, e.g. species-rich grassland.