Bronze Tier — Ure Dales Trustmark
The credible starting point. Not a lesser tier — the foundation.
What this tier is
A holding at Bronze has committed to the scheme, is delivering its agreed ecological plan, and has met the standard.
Criteria
- Minimum ecological delivery against agreed plan
- Baseline audit passed
- Engagement with scheme governance (attendance at general meetings, one committee or working group)
- Minimum stewardship practices — no drainage of blanket bog, no rush-chemical treatment in SSSI-adjacent land, livestock welfare meeting equivalent
Audit cycle
Three-year audit cycle. Awarded by the Audit and Standards Committee (EQM-chaired). Tier status is reviewed at each cycle — holdings can progress upward or be redesignated if criteria are no longer met.
What this means for your holding
Bronze is where every holding starts. There is no expectation to begin at a higher tier. Bronze recognises your existing assurances — Red Tractor, FAWL, cross-compliance — and adds the scheme's baseline ecological standards. Progression to Silver is available after a three-year cycle, but only if you choose it.
Bronze carries a ×1.0 surplus distribution multiplier — the baseline share.