We are pleased to announce that we’re increasing the Countryside Stewardship payment rate for option OR5 (organic conversion – top fruit). We have listened to feedback from farmers and recognise that this option requires greater effort and investment as a habitat creation activity, and have updated the rate to reflect this.
This follows the increases we’ve already made to the payment rates for 5 Countryside Stewardship upland options earlier this year, ensuring farmers are paid fairly for carrying out these actions wherever they are in the country.
These increases apply from 1 January 2023. All revenue claim payments made for 2023 will be updated to reflect these uplifts before payment is issued.
| Option | Old payment rate (per hectare) | New payment rate (per hectare) |
| GS5: Permanent grassland with very low inputs (SDA) | £98 | £151 |
| SW10: Seasonal livestock removal on grassland (SDA) | £77 | £115 |
| WD4: Management of lowland wood pasture and parkland | £198 | £212 |
| WD11: Restoration of upland wood pasture and parkland | £316 | £371 |
| WD12: Creation of upland wood pasture | £333 | £544 |
| OR5: Organic conversion - top fruit | £1,254 | £1,920 |
We will continue to work with farmers and farming organisations to review and adapt our offers so they work for farmers and deliver the intended environmental benefits.
To read more about these options, you can search for them in our Countryside Stewardship Grant Finder on GOV.UK