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Defra has unveiled how it plans to replace the current Hill Farm Allowance scheme.

From 2010, specific support to upland areas will be integrated into Environmental Stewardship schemes, to reward hill farmers for the environmental and landscape benefits they deliver. Uplands Entry Level Stewardship will be implemented by Natural England. Uplands ELS will be open to all upland farmers and land managers.

Environment Secretary Hilary Benn said: "The uplands are an immensely important part of our natural environment. Farmers and land managers play a critical role in managing these areas, particularly through extensive livestock grazing. We want the new strand of Environmental Stewardship to maintain and improve the biodiversity, natural resources, landscape and historical values of England's uplands, and contribute to climate change mitigation and adaptation. That is why we will be providing support to the farmers and land managers who deliver these benefits.

"Large numbers of upland farmers and land managers are already delivering simple yet effective environmental management in the uplands. Uplands ELS will allow us to recognise this explicitly, and encourage others to take up the opportunity to play their part."

Dr Helen Phillips, Chief Executive of Natural England said: "The uplands not only include some of the most rugged and beautiful landscapes in England, but are also vital for farmland birds and play a key role in providing clean water and mitigating flooding. The proposals in the Uplands Entry Level scheme have the potential for all upland farmers to safeguard the most important habitats on their farms and the cultural and landscape heritage that generations of farmers have helped create. In this way we are working with farmers and rural communities to safeguard the natural environment for generations to come."

A CLA statement welcomed the government's commitment in ensuring that a scheme is available to farmers in Upland areas on the closure of the Hill Farm Allowance from 2010. They said: "It is imperative that the new UELS scheme is available to all Upland farmers and allows sufficient flexibility for businesses to develop and help meet England's food and environmental security challenge. The CLA looks forward to the continued engagement with Defra in the development of the UELS scheme."

Since plans were announced in 2006 to replace the Hill Farm Allowance by integrating uplands support in to Environmental Stewardship, further work has been carried out to ensure that an uplands strand of ELS would deliver the fullest environmental benefit. Defra has worked closely with Natural England and stakeholders in developing the proposals, including taking advice from a hill farmers' panel.

The proposals for Uplands ELS are still be finalised, and will be further refined over the summer. As well as continuing to work with stakeholder organisations, Defra will be seeking views from the wider hill farming community, and testing the proposals on a range of 60 hill farms to ensure it is practical for the farmers involved and achieves its objectives.

Final proposals will be announced later this year.

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