Countryside Stewardship Agreements Ending in 2025
Countryside Stewardship Agreements Ending in 2025, What It Means for Farmers and the Environment
More than 5,800 British farms are approaching a significant deadline. Their Countryside Stewardship agreements are due to finish at the end of 2025, and at present there is no guaranteed like-for-like replacement confirmed. For many growers, this creates uncertainty not just for business planning, but for long-term environmental projects that depend on stable support.
Why these schemes matter
Countryside Stewardship agreements have played a key role in supporting nature-friendly farming. They have helped to fund wildflower margins, hedgerow management, habitat creation, soil health initiatives and projects that support pollinators. In many cases these schemes have shaped farming decisions for years, sometimes decades, embedding environmental care into everyday practice.
If continuity is lost, farmers may face stark choices. Some will try to absorb the cost of maintaining these projects themselves. Others may feel pressured to return land to more intensive use. Neither outcome serves the environment or long-term soil resilience.
What is causing uncertainty
New support models such as the Sustainable Farming Incentive were designed to replace older schemes. However, changing timetables, paused application windows and evolving guidance have left many producers unsure what will be available and when. Higher tier options are scheduled later than the expiry dates of current agreements, widening the gap.
In practical terms, farms are being asked to plan years ahead without knowing what support system will sit beneath them.
Calls for clarity and continuity
Industry bodies and environmental groups have urged government to provide clearer timelines and, where necessary, short-term extensions. The aim is simple: avoid losing environmental progress that has taken years to build. Without a smooth transition, carefully established habitats and soil improvements risk being lost through no fault of the farmers who created them.
Where we stand
At S Thorogood & Sons we work closely with the growers whose produce fills our crates and kitchens. We know that seasonal crops are grown within wider systems that support wildlife, water quality and soil life. These stewardship projects are not side notes, they are part of the future of British farming.
We believe that sustainable, resilient production deserves stable backing. Supporting stewardship, funding continuity and clear guidance will help ensure that the gains for nature made on British farms do not stall in 2025, but continue to grow for generations to come.