Growers are being urged to throw their weight behind the Campaign for the Farmed Environment when they renew or join the Entry Level Stewardship scheme for the first time.

Growers are being asked to ensure that one third of the points in their ELS form come from key target options.

These include farming for cleaner water and a healthier soil, measures to protect farmland birds and encouraging wildlife and biodiversity.

James Langley, who farms more than 400 hectares in Nottinghamshire, renewed his ELS agreement earlier this year, with around 16ha worth of key target options, in addition to retaining a reverted arable area which also counts as a campaign voluntary measure.

He said: “Where we have two or three in-field trees near each other we are taking the whole area around them out under the field corner management option, rather than using the individual in-field tree option,” he said. “We are also taking out the more awkward and damp areas nearer woodlands to make management easier. These are simple but effective steps to take.

“To help support farmland bird populations on the holding we have also introduced five skylark plots, a new option for us on the farm. And in order to protect the River Idle that runs through the farm we have put in place the 12 metre margin option EJ9. This has allowed us to have a margin, which is 12m at its narrowest and 20m at its widest, giving us a straight cropping edge where the river bends. We have also used 6m margins against the Chesterfield canal, helping to protect this SSSI feature.

Growers who establish 6m buffers next to water courses as part of their ELS application or renewal need to make sure that they use the correct code on the application forms.