The chief executive of Organic Farmers & Growers (OF&G) said there were ‘easy win financial benefits' for organic farmers when it comes to future farming payments.
Roger Kerr believed organic licensees could capitalise on the opportunities available to them by stacking Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) payments on top of Countryside Stewardship (CS) agreements, and added organic farmers could receive 'up to a 50 per cent increase compared to historic BPS rates.'
Organic farming
A study calculated on two farm case studies, one predominantly arable, the other mostly livestock, of 210 hectares showed the income comparison between old BPS and the combined CS and SFI payments.
It revealed an increase from £48,510 to £68,671 for the livestock farm. On the arable farm rates rose even more, from £48,510 to £73,061, which equated to a 50.6 per cent increase.
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OF&G anticipated a 'significant divergence in the way English farms are managed' following the roll out of Defra's environmental policies.
"There will be many farmers both organic and non-organic who will wholeheartedly embrace the new schemes and their approach, while others will reject the environmental principles and go all out for increased yield by foregoing the schemes," Mr Kerr said.
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