The Government has announced plans for a new agricultural policy to deliver an improved environment in England once the UK leaves the European Union and the Common Agricultural Policy.

The cornerstone of this is the development of a new Environmental Land Management (ELM) scheme, which will be underpinned by the payment of public money for public goods. ELM is intended to provide a powerful vehicle for achieving the goals of the 25 Year Environment plan and commitments to net zero carbon emissions by 2050. Public goods are things that benefit society as a whole and cannot be rewarded by the market alone. Through the ELM scheme, land managers will be paid for delivering the following public goods set out in the 25 Year Environment Plan:

■ Clean and plentiful water,

■ Clean air,

■ Thriving plants and wildlife,

■ Reduction in and protection from environmental hazards.

■ Adaptation to and mitigation of climate change,

■ Beauty, heritage and engagement with the environment.

ELM will put farmers, foresters and other land managers more in control of how they use their assets in order to satisfy commercial and government contracts for the delivery of environmental public goods.

ICF are leading one of two teams appointed by Defra to develop and analyse different ways in which farmers are paid to deliver environmental public goods in the new ELM scheme. ICF is working in partnership with ADAS, eftec, FERA, IEEP, the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Strutt and Parker, PWC and a number of distinguished individual experts to deliver this work.

We are currently looking at the feasibility of different payment options in 5 case study areas in England, one of which is Cumbria. To inform this work we would like to engage land managers with an interest in agri-environment and woodland schemes, learn from any potential experience of land management payments and discuss your views regarding future options for payments under the ELM scheme.

If you would like to join us at the Lowther room, Newton Rigg, Penrith, CA11 0AH on Monday 28^th October then please RSVP to Eleanor Cook at Eleanor.cook@adas.co.uk or call her on 01902 271247.