If you farm species-rich grassland, have a scheduled monument on your land, or have been thinking about agroforestry, getting into Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier has always meant waiting to be picked. Natural England or the Forestry Commission had to invite you in for pre-application advice before you could apply. There was no form to fill in, no queue you could see, and no way to signal that you were ready and interested.
That changed on 21 July 2026. Defra has opened a new Expression of Interest, or EOI, route that lets you put your farm forward directly, rather than waiting for an invitation that may or may not arrive.
What changed on 21 July
From that date, you can submit an EOI for four categories: agroforestry, woodland improvement, and two new single-focus agreements covering scheduled monument management and species-rich grassland.
This sits alongside the existing pre-application process for full Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier agreements, which remains invite-only and is prioritised for farmers with a Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier or Higher Level Stewardship agreement expiring in 2026 or before March 2027. Full agreements are limited to around 300 this year, subject to local capacity at Natural England.
The EOI route does not replace that process. It gives farmers who fall outside the priority groups, or who want a narrower, faster agreement, a way to get on Defra's radar.
Single-focus agreements: a simpler, narrower route in
Single-focus agreements are the more significant change here. Rather than a bespoke, multi-action agreement built with Natural England, a single-focus agreement covers one environmental priority, with far less complexity attached.
Initially, six actions are included, covering species-rich grassland and historic or archaeological features such as scheduled monuments. Defra has said more actions, including wet grassland management and traditional orchards, will be added later in the year.
Up to 1,200 single-focus agreements will be available in this first phase. If your land has more than one qualifying feature, for example a species-rich meadow and a scheduled monument, you can apply for more than one agreement, but you need to submit a separate EOI for each.
| Route | Covers | Access |
|---|---|---|
| Single-focus agreement | Species-rich grassland or scheduled monument management (more actions added later) | Direct EOI, up to 1,200 agreements initially |
| Agroforestry / woodland improvement | Tree planting and woodland management actions | Direct EOI, requires an approved plan |
| Full CSHT agreement | Bespoke, multi-action agreement across the farm | Invite-only pre-application advice, prioritised by expiring agreements, limited to around 300 this year |
What you need before you start the form
The EOI form itself is short, but a few things need to be in order first.
You will need your single business identifier, your customer reference number, your business name, the site name, and the county most of the land sits in. For agroforestry and woodland improvement, you also need an approved plan already in place, so this is not a route for farmers who are still at the idea stage.
Before submitting, check that your registered business email address is current and that your permissions on the Rural Payments service are correct. If an agent is completing the form on your behalf, they need to be registered and have the right permission to act for your business, or the EOI cannot be verified.
It is also worth checking your digital maps show the correct land cover for the area you want to include. Every Countryside Stewardship action is checked against what is recorded on your maps, and errors here are one of the most common reasons applications stall.
What happens after you submit
Submitting an EOI does not guarantee a Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier agreement. Defra has said you will be contacted within 10 weeks of submitting, using the main email address registered on the Rural Payments service.
If you are already in the pre-application stage for a site, or have already been invited to it, you do not need to submit an EOI for that site. The form is for land that is not yet in the pipeline.
What we still don't know
Defra has not said how the 1,200 single-focus places will be allocated if demand outstrips supply, or whether it will be first come, first served in the way SFI26 has been run. There is also no confirmed date for when the additional single-focus actions, such as wet grassland management and traditional orchards, will be added. For common land, a workable IT solution is still being tested and is not expected before autumn 2026.
What to do now
Before you complete an EOI, check your digital maps and land cover, confirm your Rural Payments permissions, and gather your SBI, CRN and site details. If you're applying for agroforestry or woodland improvement, make sure your plan is approved first, not just underway. If you manage land with more than one qualifying feature, plan for separate EOI submissions rather than trying to combine them.
For farmers and agents managing several sites, or several clients' sites, this is where things get complicated quickly. Species-rich grassland on one holding, a scheduled monument on another, expiring Higher Level Stewardship agreements to track, all against a backdrop of maps that need to be accurate before anything can be submitted.
This is exactly the kind of admin JustFarm is built to organise. It keeps your land mapping, scheme records and evidence in one place, so tracking which sites qualify for which route, and what stage each one is at, doesn't rely on memory or a folder of emails. Explore the SFI page to see how JustFarm handles scheme planning, or create a free account to get your farm's records in order before you submit an EOI.
People also ask
What is the difference between a single-focus agreement and a full CSHT agreement?
- A single-focus agreement covers one environmental priority, such as species-rich grassland, with a small set of actions and a simpler application. A full Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier agreement is bespoke, can combine many actions across a farm, and requires invite-only pre-application advice from Natural England or the Forestry Commission.
Can I apply for more than one single-focus agreement?
- Yes, if your land has more than one qualifying feature, but you need to submit a separate expression of interest for each one.
Does submitting an expression of interest guarantee an agreement?
- No. Defra has said submission does not guarantee an offer. You will be contacted within 10 weeks with the outcome.
Can I apply for Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier and SFI on the same farm?
- Yes, provided the actions are compatible and do not overlap on the same land. Some limited area actions share a combined cap of 25% of the farm across SFI and CSHT.
To see how JustFarm can help you track scheme applications and evidence across multiple sites, view pricing or create a free account today.
