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<p>When the Sustainable Farming Incentive begins in 2022 it will be open to Basic
Payment Scheme recipients only, but, subject to what we learn from piloting the Sustainable
Farming Incentive, as the scheme expands we intend to open eligibility so that in
2024 it is open to all farmers. Our aim is to make it attractive and straightforward
for everyone to take part, including the many farmers who are not currently in an
agri-environment scheme.</p><p>We only monitor commercial farms,[1] which account
for 98% of total agricultural activity. At this stage it is not possible to estimate
how many farms with less than 5 hectares will benefit from the environmental land
management schemes.</p><p>_______________________________________________________________________________________________________</p><p>[1]
Commercial farms are those with significant levels of farming activity. These significant
levels are classified as any holding with more than 5 hectares of agricultural land,
1 hectare of orchards, 0.5 hectares of vegetables or 0.1 hectares of protected crops,
or more than 10 cows, 50 pigs, 20 sheep, 20 goats or 1,000 poultry.</p>
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