Upland Entry Level Stewardship Meeting - Saddleworth, Oldham

THE Hill Farm Allowance (HFA) has now ended and the HFA payments you received in March 2010 were the last. The successor to HFA is Upland Entry Level Stewardship (UELS).

You are invited to a meeting to look at the potential of Upland Entry Level Stewardship (UELS) on your farm and the benefits it can bring to both the environment and farm income.

Farmers who enter UELS will receive a total of £62/ha (£23/ha for fields which are greater than 15ha above the moorland line). This is a combination of £30/ha (£8/ha for fields greater than 15ha above the moorland line) from Entry Level Stewardship (ELS) plus an additional £32/ha (£15/ha for fields greater than 15ha above the moorland line) from UELS.

Upland Entry Level Stewardship is open to all farmers in the Severely Disadvantaged Area. To gain entry into the scheme, farmers will have to achieve a points target by choosing from a wide range of options which best suit their farming practice, including some compulsory requirements.

Farmers who have previously been claiming HFA and are already in an existing Countryside Stewardship Scheme or an ESA agreement will receive a transitional payment similar to HFA until the end of their classic scheme.

During the evening we will look at and discuss the management of a variety of options available under ELS/UELS.
These will include:
* Compulsory requirements
* Cattle grazing on upland grassland and moorland
* Hay making
* Hedgerow and stonewall restoration
* Management of enclosed rough grazing for birds
* Boundary options. 

Natural England will explain how UELS can fit with modern farming practices.

Speakers at the event:
Richard Potts and Teresa Meadows from Natural England's Land Management Advisory Service.
To book your place, please contact Natural England quoting booking reference NWME720

Time: 10:30am - 12noon
Location: Saddleworth Civic Hall, Lee Street, Upper Mill, Oldham, OL3 6AE

Contact: Natural Enland (Event ref NWME720) Tel: 0300 060 1695 Email: farmevents@naturalengland.org.uk