ESA
area designated by the Ministry of Agriculture on the basis of recommendations made by the Countryside Commission and the Nature Conservancy Council. They are selected for their landscape and wildlife value, and where traditional farming methods would help to maintain this value. Payments may be made to those farmers within these areas who agree to farm according to the practices set out by the Ministry of Agriculture. ESAs are a means of slowing down and preventing agricultural landscape change, but also act as a mechanism for more positive change through the conversion of arable land into grass.