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LEAF ELM Tests & Trials
LEAF E.L.M. TESTS & TRIALS
KEY FINDINGS TO DATE
(P4 Final Report, February 2020) • Apps such as the one under development during this trial could play a role in on-farm self-assessment of public goods including biodiversity. • Offering apps as an optional tool complementary to existing advice services and monitoring networks could avoid discrepancies between diverse farm circumstances and build on existing skills, knowledge and experience. • To provide information of an adequately reliable and consistent quality for government use, any app-based tool will require training, support and verification. • Uptake of app-based tools will be dependent on user confidence in protocols regarding gathering, transfer, storage and end-use of data. • Integration with existing software, hardware and network capabilities is critical.
(P2 Interim Report, September 2020) • Earned Recognition of outcomes delivered by the LEAF Marque assurance system has precedent in the UK agri-environmental context through reduced inspection burden for cross-compliance under CAP. • LEAF Marque assurance is a recognised, respected and robust assurance system that has independently scrutinised processes of governance. • LEAF Marque Standard v.15.0 contains mandatory Control Points pertaining to the delivery of all 6 public goods intended for payment through the E.L.M. scheme. • Actions represented in the LEAF Marque Standard have proven environmental performance impact, including conservation and biodiversity, Integrated Pest
Management, soil quality, animal welfare, non-renewable resource use efficiency, community relations and water resource management. • The LEAF Marque assurance system has a whole farm approach, with Control Points that align with delivery of public goods as in the case of ‘Clean and Plentiful Water’.
(P1 Final Report, September 2020) • Whatever the agreement length, there should be scope for annual review within the LMP. It is a plan and plans change. • Full publication of LMPs in the public domain will preclude some land managers from inputting business, habitat, agronomic and mapping data due to security and market concerns. • Care must be taken not to exclude smaller farms or tenants from access to E.L.M. through long agreements or complex plan requirements. • The LEAF Sustainable Farming Review is a tried and tested tool to plan and record environmental actions and practical decisions within a whole farm system. It has potential to be adopted as a LMP for E.L.M. • There is significant opportunity to utilise the LEAF Demonstration
Farm Network’s experience of working as a non-contiguous, sectorally diverse cluster to advance environmental land management practices, supporting farmers through peer to peer learning, demonstration and knowledge exchange during the roll out of E.L.M.
(P2 Final Report, February 2021) • Progression towards Environmental Land Management evidenced through LEAF Marque certification is most successfully supported by one to one advice from an IFM trained adviser. • Online resources including videos and group training can successfully support progression towards E.L.M. evidenced through
LEAF Marque certification for some farmers. • Remote digital monitoring of LEAF Sustainable Farming Review online completion gives routinely measurable sub-annual progression towards LEAF Marque certification. • Time taken to complete paperwork was the single biggest barrier for participants: a scheme needs to present clear benefits to justify time spent on administration or engagement will be lost regardless of training and advice provision. • The process of progression towards LEAF Marque certification brought additional benefits to participating farm businesses including carbon footprinting and cost savings through energy, water and nutrient use efficiency. 15
